Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed direct talks with Ukraine on May 11 (local time).
He explained that the purpose of the talks is to eliminate the root causes of the conflict, and stated that he does not rule out the possibility of reaching a new ceasefire agreement through negotiations.
According to foreign media outlets such as TASS and Sputnik, President Putin held a press conference at the Kremlin early that morning and said, "I propose to the Ukrainian authorities to resume negotiations in Istanbul, T?rkiye, on the 15th."
He stated, "We will hold serious negotiations with Ukraine," and explained, "The purpose is to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and to establish long-term peace from a historical perspective."
He added, "We do not rule out the possibility of agreeing to a new ceasefire?a genuine ceasefire?that would be observed not only by Russia but also by Ukraine, through negotiations. I repeat, this would be the first step toward long-term and sustainable peace, and it is not a prelude to continuing armed conflict."
President Putin described the negotiations he proposed as a "resumption" of the talks that broke down at the beginning of the Ukraine invasion in 2022.
He said, "We have repeatedly proposed ceasefires and have never refused dialogue with Ukraine. It was not us, but Ukraine, that disrupted the 2022 negotiations."
He continued, "As a result of those negotiations, a draft joint statement was prepared and signed by the Ukrainian delegation, but due to Western interference, it was thrown into the trash bin."
President Putin also stated that he is scheduled to speak with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the 11th, saying, "I will ask him to mediate the talks. I hope he will reaffirm his commitment to a peaceful resolution."
He said, "Russia is ready to engage in negotiations without any preconditions. If one truly wants peace, there is no reason not to support this."
He added, "Our proposal is on the table. Now it is up to the Ukrainian authorities, who prioritize personal political ambitions over the interests of their people, to make a decision."
President Putin also criticized Ukraine, saying, "The Easter ceasefire proposed by Russia was not observed. They violated the ceasefire nearly 5,000 times."
Addressing European leaders, he said, "Based on the lessons of history and the opinions of our people, I am optimistic that we will soon build constructive relations with European countries. The same goes for those who do not refrain from anti-Russian remarks, act aggressively, and rudely issue ultimatums."
This appears to be in response to the previous day's visit to Kyiv by the leaders of four European countries (the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland), who pressured Russia by warning that if it did not accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, sanctions would be intensified.
President Putin's proposal for talks with Ukraine on this day came after the leaders of the four European countries and Ukraine proposed an "unconditional 30-day ceasefire." President Putin did not mention the ceasefire proposal from these European leaders and Ukraine.
Meanwhile, regarding North Korea's military support, President Putin said, "I personally expressed my gratitude to the North Korean military leadership, and I also conveyed my warm thanks to the North Korean special forces soldiers and commanders who sincerely carried out their mission to liberate the Kursk border area alongside our soldiers."
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