Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has publicly stated his willingness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for direct talks in Türkiye on May 15 – but only under the condition that Moscow first agrees to a ceasefire. His announcement marks a significant, though cautious, shift in the Ukrainian leadership’s approach to ending the ongoing conflict, while also highlighting the deep mistrust that continues to characterize relations between Kiev and Moscow.

Posting on the social media platform X on May 11, Zelensky wrote, “I will be in Türkiye this Thursday, May 15, and I expect Putin to come to Türkiye as well. Personally. And I hope that this time, Putin won’t be looking for excuses as to why he ‘can’t’ make it.” The Ukrainian leader stressed that Kiev expected “a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy.”

In a follow-up post, Zelensky added, “We are ready to talk, to end this war. Thursday. Türkiye. President Trump has expressed support. All the leaders support this.”

Zelensky’s remarks came as a direct response to a recent offer from the Kremlin. On May 10, Putin had proposed restarting direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine without any preconditions – a return to the diplomatic format initially launched in Istanbul in 2022, from which Ukraine later withdrew. Moscow emphasized that it sought a lasting resolution to the conflict and reiterated that it was prepared to negotiate at any........

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