Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed on Sunday to meet face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey this upcoming Thursday.
Putin initially proposed the Thursday meeting this weekend, while President Donald Trump urged Zelensky to accept the offer. The Russian president said the talks, which are set to be held in Istanbul, must be held without preconditions and be structured towards the goal of lasting peace.
“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 excuses,” Zelensky wrote in an X post on Sunday.
Trump had urged Zelensky to accept the offer earlier in the day. Ukraine and Russia are currently observing a brief ceasefire in order to commemorate the end of World War II in Europe.
“President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY. At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!”
“I’m starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who’s too busy celebrating the Victory of World War ll, which could not have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America. HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!” he added.
If both world leaders follow through on the meeting, it will mark the first time they have met face-to-face since December 9, 2019, when they held discussions during a Normandy Format summit in Paris.
Putin has thus far offered very few concessions, leading President Trump to publicly doubt his willingness to negotiate last month. Trump accused the Russian leader of stringing him along in negotiations, while Zelensky has expressed willingness to negotiate and signed a long-awaited economic agreement with the United States.
The Russian president is now saying he is willing to discuss the root causes of the war, however, signaling a potential breakthrough. Putin said he would speak with Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan later on Sunday about facilitating the negotiations, which could result in a lasting ceasefire, he added.
“Our proposal, as they say, is on the table,” Putin said. “The decision is now up to the Ukrainian authorities and their curators, who are guided, it seems, by their personal political ambitions, and not by the interests of their peoples.”
Putin’s proposal of a direct meeting came hours after European leaders demanded that Russia agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire or face new sanctions. The Russian president dismissed what he referred to as an “ultimatum,” however.
He did express optimism that the two warring nations could agree on “some new truces, a new ceasefire” during negotiations in Turkey, saying that the talks would be the first step toward a “sustainable” peace.
