Russia - Ukraine, possible meeting in Istanbul. Will Trump be there?

Russia, however, currently rejects any 'ultimatum' on a ceasefire in Ukraine. This was stated by spokesman Dmitry Peskov quoted by the Ria Novosti news agency. This is the latest act in the tug-of-war between Moscow and Kiev to start direct negotiations.

After Putin's proposal for direct Moscow-Kiev negotiations to be held on Thursday 15 May in Istanbul, Ukraine and the EU had put on the brakes by first demanding a ceasefire. Trump had then pushed Zelensky to accept and US Secretary of State Rubio reiterated: 'An end to the fighting and an immediate ceasefire remain our top priority'.

Thus, on Sunday evening the Ukrainian leader broke the deadlock: 'We are waiting for a complete and lasting ceasefire, starting tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. It makes no sense to prolong the killing. And I will wait for Putin in Turkey on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses,' he writes in X.

It is the epilogue of a day that could change history. "Whoever wants peace, cannot refuse our offer," the Russian president had said in the night, immediately picking up Erdogan's willingness to host talks. "Ready for direct negotiations, but first Moscow will commit to an immediate truce," Zelensky's first response. Sceptical reactions from Paris and Berlin: 'First we need a ceasefire, Putin just wants to gain time', the line put forward by Macron and Merz. Then Trump's pressure on Zelensky changed things: 'Kiev accepts, he would have a chance to see if an agreement is possible. If it is not, Europe and the US will know how things stand and will be able to proceed'. The tsar's response is now awaited.

"The Russians are completely ignoring the offer of a complete and lasting ceasefire as of 12 May. They continue to attack Ukrainian positions all along the front line. Moscow wastes another opportunity to end the killing. This shows once again that Russia's only goal is to prolong the war'. Thus on X Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. "On the contrary, Ukraine is making every effort to end the war and give diplomacy a chance. Zelensky even proposed a personal meeting with Putin on Thursday, but there has been no response yet."

Ukraine meanwhile claims that Russia launched 108 drones overnight, despite the ceasefire ultimatum. "As of 11pm on Sunday, 11 May, the Russians attacked Ukraine with 108 Shahed drones and simulator drones of various types from the following directions: Bryansk, Orel, Shatalovo, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Chauda," Ukrinform reports, citing a message from Ukraine's air force on Telegram .

Moscow is again proposing direct negotiations with Kiev, 'without any preconditions'. This was emphasised by Vladimir Putin at a press conference, pointing to 15 May as a possible date for the start of negotiations. The Russian president thus responded to the appeal launched yesterday by the 'Willing Countries' for a 30-day truce.

"We propose to the Kiev authorities to resume the negotiations, which were interrupted by them at the end of 2022. Resume direct dialogue, and do so without any conditions,' said the Kremlin chief, who sent to start without delay, as early as next Thursday, 15 May, in Istanbul: where talks were held before and where they were interrupted."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded on X: 'We are waiting for a complete and lasting ceasefire, starting tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. It makes no sense to prolong the killing. And I will wait for Putin in Turkey on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses'.

At the diplomatic level, meanwhile, China also stepped in to urge a 'binding peace agreement' to end the war in Ukraine, after Kiev and its allies urged Moscow to accept a 30-day ceasefire and Russian President Vladimir Putin relaunched with a proposal for direct negotiations. "We support all efforts that promote peace and hope that the relevant parties will decide to continue to resolve the problem through dialogue and negotiation," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, urging in the daily briefing a "binding peace agreement that is acceptable to all parties".

The EU, in parallel, moves with concrete gestures: 'Today we are announcing the creation of the EU-Ukraine interinstitutional task force. And today Ukrainian and European experts will meet for the first time. To assist the integration of our defence industries, to facilitate the development of joint projects or joint procurement processes. I hope that this joint task force will give new impetus to our cooperation and help us implement important provisions of the White Paper,' Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius announced at the EU-Ukraine Defence Industry Forum.

"We are waiting for a clear Russian response to the request for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, which Ukraine has accepted". This was said by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in statements to the press together with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the end of the Italy-Greece intergovernmental summit.

US President Donald Trump on his social Truth states that 'President Putin does not want to have a ceasefire with Ukraine but wants to meet on Thursday in Turkey to negotiate a possible end to this bloodbath. Ukraine should agree immediately'. The tycoon emphasises that by accepting, Kiev would be able to determine 'whether an agreement is possible. If it is not, European leaders and the United States will know where things stand and can move forward. I begin to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who is too busy celebrating the victory of World War II, which would not have been won without the United States'.

"First an unconditional 30-day ceasefire and then, during that period, move on to a comprehensive peace discussion. Not the other way around," says Keith Kellogg, Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, indirectly replying to the Russian president.

Putin then explicitly asked for diplomatic support from Ankara: "I would like to ask the Turkish president to grant the possibility of holding these talks in Turkey. I hope he will confirm his willingness to contribute to the search for peace in Ukraine. Tomorrow we plan to have a conversation with Mr Erdogan'. And 'since it is already half past one in the morning, I will let you go, with God. Goodbye!' he concluded, bidding farewell to the journalists present at 1.30am on the night between Saturday and Sunday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying he was ready to host peace talks in Ukraine. According to a statement from the Turkish presidency, Erdogan told Putin that 'peace talks between Russia and Ukraine will continue in Istanbul from where they left off (in 2022, ed.) and that Turkey is ready to host negotiations that would lead to a permanent solution' to the conflict.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call today that a ceasefire in Ukraine could create the necessary atmosphere for negotiations between Moscow and Kiev. This was announced by the Turkish presidential administration.

"Stressing that a window of opportunity has opened to achieve peace, President Erdogan said an inclusive ceasefire would create the necessary environment for peace talks," Erdogan's office said.

The Turkish president expressed readiness to host direct negotiations proposed by Putin on 15 May.

The Kremlin's announcement comes after French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk - who visited Kiev yesterday to show their support - called for 'a complete and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create space for talks on a just and lasting peace', an appeal also shared with the US.

"It makes no sense to continue killing for even one day. We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire - total, lasting and credible - starting tomorrow, 12 May, then Ukraine will be ready to meet'. This was stated on X by the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, commenting on the proposal of the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, to hold direct negotiations from 15 May in Turkey. "It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally started to consider ending the war. The whole world has been waiting for this for a long time. And the first step to ending any war is a ceasefire," Zelensky explained.

The negotiations proposed by Putin are 'a first step', but 'not enough', according to French President Emmanuel Macron. French media report that. "It is a way of not responding. We must not give up," Macron added upon his arrival at the Polish border this morning, as he stepped off the train returning from Ukraine. "We have to be firm with the Americans to say that the ceasefire is unconditional and then we can discuss the rest," he said speaking to journalists. According to Macron, Putin's proposal, 'shows that he is looking for a way forward, but there is always a desire on his part to buy time. It is unacceptable for the Ukrainians, because they cannot accept parallel talks while they continue to be bombed,' he concluded.