Russia-Ukraine war: Putin proposes direct talks with Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday proposed resuming direct peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15, but stopped short of addressing a Western-backed call for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire set to begin Monday, reports AFP.

Speaking at the Kremlin, Putin urged Kyiv to restart negotiations that collapsed in 2022, saying, "We propose to the Kyiv authorities to resume the talks that they broke off in 2022, and, I emphasize, without any preconditions."

Earlier on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined the leaders of France, Germany, Britain, and Poland in Kyiv to propose a month-long ceasefire aimed at halting hostilities and easing civilian suffering.

The proposal, reportedly supported by the United States, warned Moscow of sweeping new sanctions if it failed to comply.

"We have just now... decided to support a ceasefire which will begin next Monday, without any preconditions," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a joint press conference.

He added that the ceasefire's breach would trigger "massive sanctions" coordinated between Europe and the United States.

Putin's remarks made no mention of the ceasefire proposal, instead focusing on Russia's desire for talks aimed at addressing what he called the "root causes" of the war — long-standing grievances Moscow claims against Ukraine and the West, including NATO expansion and alleged discrimination against Russian-speaking populations.

"We propose to start [negotiations] without delay on Thursday, May 15 in Istanbul," Putin said, adding that he would soon speak with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to help facilitate the talks.

While saying he was open to discussing a potential ceasefire during talks, Putin accused Ukraine's Western allies of escalating tensions. "They want to continue war with Russia," he said, dismissing the ceasefire appeal as part of a broader campaign of "ultimatums" and "anti-Russian rhetoric."

Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 sparked international condemnation and led to a wave of sanctions. The conflict has since ground into a protracted war, with peace efforts failing to gain traction despite intermittent diplomatic pushes.

Ukrainian officials and their allies have rejected Moscow's justification for the war, labeling it an unprovoked act of aggression and a bid to seize territory under the guise of protecting ethnic Russians.