Now Reading: Zelenskyy calls for a ceasefire with Russia and challenges Putin to a meeting
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Zelenskyy calls for a ceasefire with Russia and challenges Putin to a meeting
Zelenskyy calls for a ceasefire with Russia and challenges Putin to a meeting
The possibility of progress toward peace in the war between Ukraine and Russia took an unexpected turn this weekend. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a direct challenge to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, proposing a face-to-face meeting in Turkey this Thursday. This proposal comes amid an intense exchange of statements and proposals, in which the United States and its European allies have been trying to mediate an end to the fighting.
Zelenskyy expressed hope that, as of Monday, a ceasefire with Russia will be established, thus creating the necessary conditions for a diplomatic dialogue. "I will be waiting for Putin in Turkey, personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses."The Ukrainian president said on the X social network.
For his part, former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has taken an active role in this process, urged Ukraine to immediately accept the latest Russian proposal for direct talks in Istanbul. "Have the meeting, now! At least they will be able to determine whether a deal is possible or not, and if it is not, European and U.S. leaders will know how to act."Trump wrote on his social networks.
Europe pushes for immediate ceasefire
On Saturday, European leaders including Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Friedrich Merz and Donald Tusk met with Zelenskyy in Kiev, jointly demanding a 30-day unconditional ceasefire starting this Monday. This proposal has the backing of the European Union and has also been publicly supported by Trump. However, Russia rejected the offer and proposed instead to resume direct talks without preconditions.
Putin, speaking to Russian media, avoided confirming whether he would personally attend the talks, although he suggested that a cease-fire could be reached during the negotiations. The Kremlin stressed that its goal is to achieve a "lasting peace" and not simply a temporary pause in the fighting.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed his readiness to host the negotiations, backing the Russian proposal and calling this moment a "historic turning point" in efforts to end the war.
Doubts about the next steps
Despite the call for a truce, the situation on the ground remains tense. Russia resumed massive drone strikes early Sunday morning after ending its self-imposed three-day pause. According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia launched 108 attack drones and simulators from six different directions; 60 were shot down and 41 others missed their targets thanks to Ukrainian defenses.
Russia, for its part, accused Ukraine of having violated the temporary ceasefire more than 14,000 times, although Kiev denies having agreed to any truce between May 8 and 10 and called the Russian initiative a "farce."
In addition, the acting governor of Russia's Kursk region denounced a Ukrainian missile attack on the town of Rylsk, which reportedly caused three injuries and severe damage to a local hotel.
While tensions grow and attacks persist, the great unknown remains whether Putin will accept Zelenskyy's challenge and attend the meeting in Turkey. For now, the Kremlin remains silent, and the world is watching expectantly to see if this will be the definitive opportunity to open the diplomatic way to put an end to a conflict that has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
