Ukraine 'ready to meet' Russia after Putin call for peace talks on Thursday, says Zelenskyy
Ukraine is "ready to meet" with Russia after Putin proposed restarting peace talks on Thursday, says Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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The Ukrainian President said it is a "positive sign" that the Russia has begun considering ending the war.
Writing on X, Zelenskyy said: "The entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire."
He continued by saying there is "no point in continuing the killing even for a single day", and added: "We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire – full, lasting, and reliable – starting tomorrow, May 12th, and Ukraine is ready to meet."
Speaking to reporters early on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed restarting direct negotiations with Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul “without preconditions”.
In response to Mr Putin’s comments, French President Emmanuel Macron said Mr Putin’s comments were “a first step, but not enough” and that the Russian president was “looking for a way out, but he still wants to buy time”.
“An unconditional ceasefire is not preceded by negotiations,” he told France 24 during his return journey from Kyiv.
It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war. The entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 11, 2025
There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single…
On Saturday Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Kyiv alongside his French, German and Polish counterparts for talks with President Zelenskyy about the so-called coalition of the willing.
The leaders also spoke by phone to US President Donald Trump, who has also previously called for a 30-day truce.
Speaking to the BBC from Kyiv on Saturday, the Prime Minister said: “We actually made material progress in relation to a ceasefire, so that is an extremely good outcome.
“But it was also important to demonstrate that the values that underpin what was being fought for 80 years ago were the same values now, that we will step up and play our part to preserve the peace and bring about that ceasefire.”
He later added: “This now is a unified call for an unconditional ceasefire, backed up by sanctions.”
Read more: Starmer joins European leaders in Ukraine ahead of ‘coalition of the willing’ meeting
While in Kyiv Sir Keir, with Mr Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, paid tribute at a memorial to killed Ukrainian soldiers.
They also held a virtual call with other leaders across the globe involved in the coalition looking to support peace in Ukraine.
Speaking at a press conference of all five leaders on Saturday, the Prime Minister said “all of us here, together with the US, are calling (Russian President) Putin out”.
He said that if the Russian president is “serious” about peace then “he has a chance to show it now by extending the VE Day pause into a full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire”.
Sir Keir added: “No more ifs and buts, no more conditions and delays.”
He also said: “Ukraine has shown the willingness to engage again and again, but again and again, Putin has refused.
“So we are clear, all five leaders here – all the leaders of the meeting we just had with the coalition of the willing – an unconditional ceasefire, rejecting Putin’s conditions, and clear that if he turns his back on peace, we will respond.
“Working with President Trump, with all our partners, we will ramp up sanctions and increase our military aid for Ukraine’s defence to pressure Russia back to the table.”