Putin Proposes Direct Negotiations Between Russia and Ukraine, Ignoring Ceasefire Calls
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine starting next Thursday in Istanbul without any preconditions, postponing any possibility of a ceasefire requested by Kyiv and its allies until after the talks.
Ukraine and its European allies, alongside the United States, issued an ultimatum to Moscow on Saturday, demanding a full unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting next Monday, or else Russia would face new "massive sanctions" targeting the "energy and financial sectors," marking a rare display of unity among Western nations.
Putin told reporters late at night in the Kremlin, "We are ready for serious negotiations with Ukraine." He added that Russia is prepared to "resume direct negotiations but I emphasize—without any preconditions."
He did not directly address the proposal from Ukraine and its allies but criticized Europeans for treating Russia "rudely with ultimatums" and stated that any potential ceasefire must be part of "direct" talks with Kyiv.
"Russia is ready to negotiate without any preconditions (...) We propose to start negotiations in Istanbul next Thursday, May 15th," he added, saying he would meet with Turkish President Erdogan within the next few hours.
Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1831860319716811/
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