Zelensky Accepts Putin's Proposal for Talks... Negotiations Set for the 15th

Negotiations to Resume in T?rkiye on the 15th
Putin Proposes Talks Amid Western Sanctions Pressure
Zelensky: "I Will Wait in Person"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on the 11th (local time) that he is willing to participate in peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This decision follows a direct call for talks from U.S. President Donald Trump. With President Putin making a sudden proposal for direct talks with Ukraine, and Ukraine agreeing to participate for now, attention is focused on whether negotiations for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire will gain momentum.

According to foreign media outlets such as Reuters and TASS, President Putin held a press conference that day and stated, "I propose to the Ukrainian authorities that we resume negotiations in Istanbul, T?rkiye, on the 15th."

President Putin said, "We will engage in serious negotiations with Ukraine," adding, "The goal is to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and to establish long-term peace from a historical perspective."

He continued, "Through negotiations, I do not rule out the possibility of agreeing to a new ceasefire?a genuine ceasefire?that will be observed not only by Russia but also by Ukraine," emphasizing, "Once again, this will be the first step toward long-term and sustainable peace, and it is not a prelude to continuing armed conflict."

This proposal came in the early morning hours, shortly after the end of the 72-hour 'Victory Day ceasefire' that President Putin had unilaterally declared. It marks a shift from the previous attitude during the ceasefire period, when both Russia and Ukraine continued to accuse each other of not halting hostilities.

There is speculation that President Putin's sudden change in stance is due to pressure from the West to agree to a ceasefire and concerns about additional sanctions. The previous day, the leaders of four countries?Britain, France, Germany, and Poland?visited Kyiv, Ukraine, and held a press conference urging Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire on land and sea starting from the 12th. They warned that if Russia did not accept the ceasefire proposal, they would impose additional sanctions on Russia's energy and financial sectors in cooperation with the United States.

Until the morning of that day, President Zelensky maintained that direct talks with Russia would only be possible if an unconditional ceasefire was implemented first. However, under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, he announced his willingness to enter into talks with Russia. That afternoon, President Trump urged on his social media platform Truth Social, "Ukraine must agree to this immediately."

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) that evening, President Zelensky wrote, "I will be waiting for Putin in T?rkiye on Thursday (the 15th). In person." He added, "This time, I hope the Russians won't look for excuses." He continued, "We are waiting for a complete and lasting ceasefire starting tomorrow," emphasizing, "This is necessary to lay the foundation for diplomacy. There is no point in continuing the killing." This reaffirmed his previous position that a ceasefire must be established before any talks between the two countries can take place.

If President Zelensky's statement is followed, it appears he will personally attend the negotiations in T?rkiye if talks with Russia are arranged. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha shared President Zelensky's post on X, stating, "This is how a true leader acts. He does not hide behind anyone or anything," and added, "It is highly unlikely that the Russian side possesses even a fraction of such courage."

However, it remains uncertain whether President Putin will respond and attend in person. If President Putin does not show up for the talks, Ukraine may refuse to participate for that reason. The Russian side has not yet indicated who will attend the negotiations in T?rkiye. Yuri Ushakov, foreign policy adviser to the Kremlin, said in a local television interview that the person who will go to Istanbul will be announced soon.

The last time President Zelensky and President Putin met in person was in December 2019 in Paris. That meeting was made possible through mediation by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

However, Ukraine and the West believe that President Putin's insistence on negotiating the 'root causes of the war' first is an attempt to delay the ceasefire proposal.

French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that there can be no negotiations while fighting continues, in response to President Putin's proposal. On his X account, he stated, "There can be no negotiations while weapons are speaking."

CNN reported, "They have argued that Russia's agreement to a ceasefire could serve as a test of whether Moscow is genuinely committed to achieving the peace that the U.S. president has long demanded."