As Russia and Ukraine prepare for direct talks, cue President Trump
The Russian proposal for a 30-day ceasefire at the Kremlin: a welcomed addition to the Turkish dialogue between Russia and Ukraine
Putin asked if Erdogan would allow for the opportunity to hold talks in Turkey. “I hope he’ll confirm his desire to sponsor a search for peace in Ukraine.”
“We will do everything to make this meeting happen,” Zelenskyy said. “If Putin is truly ready not just in the media but in real life to meet, and then, at the level of leaders, we will do everything to agree on a ceasefire. It’s with him that I need to negotiate a ceasefire. Because he is the only one who decides on it.”
“This never ending bloodbath hopefully comes to an end, so think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved,” Trump wrote. I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that happens. The USA wants to focus on trade. A big week coming up! he added.
French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met with Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Saturday and issued a coordinated call for a 30-day truce starting Monday. The plan has the support of both the European Union and Trump.
Putin’s announcement of direct negotiations with Ukraine is not enough to satisfy the Western skepticism towards his intentions, according to Macron.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in comments aired by Russian state TV on Sunday, called Putin’s proposal “very serious,” aimed at eliminating “the root causes of the conflict,” and said it “confirms a real intention to find a peaceful solution.”
Without directly mentioning Moscow’s proposal, Trump said in a social media post several hours after Putin’s overnight remarks that it was “a potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine!”
According to the Kremlin’s readout of the phone call, Erdogan “fully supported the Russian proposal” and was ready to provide a platform for the talks and assistance in organizing them.
According to a statement from the Turkish presidential communications office, Erdogan said that a “Historic turning point” had been reached in efforts to end the war.
Russian Defense Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Towards a Resolution of Putin’s World War II Violation Theorem
Zelenskyy said he was waiting to see the reaction from the Western allies who had promised sanctions if Putin disobeyed the truce.
“We have repeatedly heard from partners that they are ready to strengthen sanctions against Russia if Putin refuses a ceasefire. He said that they will see.
That sounds vague because it is. At this point, only Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he will be in Turkey on Thursday no matter what, likely with a delegation.
Russia launched 108 attack drones and simulator drones from six different directions, Ukraine’s air force said. It said 61 drones were shot down and another 41 failed to reach their targets.
The Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation accused the Ukrainians of violating the three-day ceasefire more than 15,000 times. Russia is accused of violating its own truce, with the Ukrainian foreign minister calling it a farce.
A Russian official on Sunday evening also accused Ukrainian forces of a missile strike on a town in Russia’s Kursk region that borders Ukraine. A hotel in Rylsk, a town east of the Ukraine border, has been badly damaged by the strike, according to acting Gov. Alexander Khinshtein.
It was thought that Putin had timed the Istanbul offer with Trump’s current trip through the Middle East. Was it designed to lure the U.S. president? Can Russia and Ukraine agree to a ceasefire during the talks in whatever form they take?
“I’ve got so many meetings, but I was thinking about actually flying over there,” Trump told reporters at the White House Monday. “Don’t underestimate Thursday in Turkey.”
“Military operations are ongoing, a war is happening and we are offering to return to negotiations,” Putin said, adding that Kyiv broke off previous talks.
In Kremlin speak, that has long meant Ukraine’s demilitarization and an end to Kyiv’s NATO ambitions, among other demands. Preconditions, by any other name.
Was it more of what critics say is Russia’s foot-dragging aimed at drawing out negotiations while its forces make gains on the Ukrainian battlefield? There are reasons to think so.
The latest diplomatic maneuvering began in late April when Putin unilaterally announced a three-day ceasefire to mark World War II Victory Day celebrations in Russia last week.
The American leader hopes that the end of the war in Europe will finally be achieved, even though he believes it will bring all the “great television” that Trump could bring.
