Putin Calls For Direct Peace Talks with Ukraine After European Leaders Meet in Kyiv

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a public call Saturday night for “direct talks” with Ukraine to begin “without delay,” proposing 15 May as the starting date.

In an uncommon late-night televised speech from the Kremlin on Saturday, he said: “We seek serious talks… to remove the root causes of the conflict and start moving towards a lasting, strong peace.”

Putin’s announcement followed a visit to Ukraine by European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who pressed Russia to agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked that Moscow would “have to think this through,” but added, “trying to pressure us is quite useless.”
Putin stated he was open to the idea that potential talks, suggested to be held in Istanbul, could produce “new ceasefires, a new truce.”

He also mentioned plans to speak with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday to further discuss the proposal.

Kyiv has not yet issued a response to Putin’s invitation, which coincided with the European leaders’ visit to the Ukrainian capital where they urged Russia to commit to a month-long truce starting Monday.
Presidents and prime ministers from France, Germany, the UK, and Poland,referred to as the “coalition of the willing,” were welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and held a joint press conference during the trip.
They warned that severe new sanctions targeting Russia’s banking and energy sectors would follow if Putin refused to accept the ceasefire “in the air, at sea and on land.”

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer later told the BBC that U.S. President Donald Trump had been consulted and was “absolutely clear” that their call for an immediate ceasefire was a “demand that must be met.”

The meeting served as a pointed counter-message to Russia’s Victory Day events in Moscow the day before. Zelensky expressed appreciation, saying, “Today we will focus on how to build and guarantee real and lasting security.”

Kremlin spokesman Peskov responded to the visit by saying, “It is a new development. But trying to pressure us is quite useless.” He also told Russian state media that European leaders’ remarks were “generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations.”

Moscow has previously stated that Western military aid to Ukraine must end before any ceasefire could be considered.

Putin addressed journalists at the Kremlin, describing the proposed talks as the first step towards lasting peace, rather than a break before renewed hostilities.
“This would be the first step towards a long-term, lasting peace, rather than a prologue to more armed hostilities after the Ukrainian armed forces get new armaments and personnel, after feverish trench-digging and the establishment of new command posts,” he said.

He accused Kyiv of ignoring multiple Russian ceasefire proposals, including one for a 30-day halt on attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and an holiday truce last month.

Despite Moscow’s declaration to pause strikes on energy systems, Zelensky told EU leaders that “nothing had changed,” noting that attacks continued.