Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed signs that Russia might be considering ending the war, calling it a positive signal. He stressed the importance of a comprehensive, lasting and reliable ceasefire as the first step towards peace.
Zelenskyy posted on X: “This is a positive sign that the Russians are finally starting to think about ending the war. The whole world has been waiting for a long time. And the first step to really ending any war is a ceasefire.”
It was on May 12 from European leaders from Britain, France, Germany and Poland to Kiev and called for a full unconditional ceasefire. Zelenskyy stressed that the ceasefire must cover all areas, land, oceans and air, and at least all areas and at least 30 days.
Zelenskyy stressed that the ceasefire must cover all areas, land, oceans and air and last for at least 30 days. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stressed the importance of peace, sovereignty and Ukraine’s future as a free and European country.
Zelenskyy added on X Post: “Even a day, there was no killing. We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire – all-weather, long-lasting, reliable – starting tomorrow, May 12, Ukraine is ready.”
According to CNN, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia is ready for “direct negotiations” with Ukraine. This development emerged with the ceasefire of U.S. and European leaders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held “direct negotiations” with Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday, according to CNN.
“We want to start immediately, next May 15, in Istanbul, they were imprisoned there and they were interrupted,” Putin said in a late-night televised speech. He stressed that talks should be held “without any premises.”
“We have serious negotiations with Ukraine,” Putin said, adding that they aim to “eliminate the root causes of conflict” and “achieving a long-term, lasting peace.”
CNN reported that Putin called the proposed negotiations “a first step towards a lasting stable peace, but not the prelude to the continued armed conflict after the Ukrainian armed forces relocated and re-equipped Ukrainian armed forces and dug trenches in new forts.”
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has been causing significant human suffering and economic losses.
The Russian-Ukrainian War has become one of Europe’s most devastating conflicts in the third year since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
