Watan-Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that he is ready to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for talks in Istanbul on Thursday, following a call from U.S. President Donald Trump urging him to immediately accept Moscow’s proposal for negotiations.
In a post on X, Zelensky stated that Ukraine expects a full ceasefire to begin Monday, providing a necessary foundation for diplomacy to end the war. “I will be waiting for Putin in Turkey on Thursday,” he said.
Later in the day, Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine’s ceasefire proposal, set to begin Monday, still stands, while awaiting Russia’s official response. In his evening address, he warned that Ukrainian forces are prepared to respond if Russia violates the ceasefire. Moscow has not yet accepted the 30-day truce proposed by European powers on Saturday.
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the “urgent need” for a ceasefire that would allow the Ukraine-Russia summit to take place in Istanbul on Thursday. According to the French presidency, Macron held talks with the leaders of Germany, Britain, Poland, Trump, and Zelensky on Sunday to coordinate efforts.
Trump, meanwhile, urged Ukraine to accept Putin’s offer immediately, writing on his Truth Social platform:
“At the very least, they’ll find out if a deal is possible—and if not, the U.S. and Europe will know clearly and can act accordingly.”
We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 11, 2025
Zelensky had previously said that Putin must commit to a 30-day ceasefire before direct talks could proceed. Trump expressed skepticism about whether Putin remains genuinely interested in peace talks, remarking, “I’m starting to doubt Ukraine will strike a deal with Putin, who seems more focused on celebrating World War II victory parades.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed his country is ready to host the negotiations. In phone calls with both Putin and Macron, Erdoğan stressed that peace efforts have reached a decisive moment. According to a Kremlin statement, Erdoğan fully supports Putin’s initiative and pledged Turkey’s full assistance in facilitating the talks.
“Turkey will provide all necessary support to organize and conduct negotiations aimed at achieving lasting peace,” the Kremlin said.
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