ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has extended a direct invitation to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to meet for peace talks in Istanbul this Thursday, a bold gesture that follows renewed international calls for a ceasefire and negotiations to end the two-year-long war.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) late Sunday, Zelensky said he would be in Türkiye and ready to engage in person with Putin, provided Russia agrees to a ceasefire beginning Monday. “There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally,” he wrote.
The Ukrainian leader’s announcement came shortly after former US President Donald Trump called on Ukraine to “immediately” accept Russia’s offer for direct talks in Turkey. Trump, who is widely expected to contest the 2024 US presidential election, stated that the meeting would reveal whether a diplomatic resolution was possible. “At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible,” he posted on social media. “Have the meeting, now!”
Putin, in a late-night televised address on Saturday, had invited Ukraine to participate in what he termed “serious negotiations” and suggested the possibility of a new truce. However, he did not explicitly endorse the proposed 30-day ceasefire demanded by Western leaders.
“This would be the first step towards a long-term, lasting peace,” Putin said, but added that any pause in hostilities must not become a prelude to Ukraine rearming with further Western military support.
The Kremlin has long insisted that any discussion of a ceasefire must be preceded by a halt in Western arms shipments to Kyiv. Meanwhile, Moscow’s conditions for negotiations remain vague, and the fundamental disagreements between the two sides—particularly over territory and sovereignty—persist.
The renewed diplomatic activity comes on the heels of a high-level meeting in Kyiv on Saturday, where Zelensky hosted UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The European leaders jointly proposed an immediate, unconditional 30-day ceasefire “in the air, at sea and on land,” which they described as a crucial step toward restarting diplomacy.
The so-called “coalition of the willing” warned that failure to comply with the ceasefire demand would trigger “new and massive” sanctions against Russia, targeting its energy and banking sectors. Sir Keir told the BBC that US President Joe Biden was “absolutely clear” in supporting the initiative.
This flurry of diplomatic overtures marks the most significant push for peace since direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine collapsed in Istanbul in March 2022, weeks after Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
While both Moscow and Kyiv now appear open to resuming talks in principle, a mutually acceptable framework remains elusive. Ukrainian officials maintain that any talks must be contingent on a full Russian withdrawal from occupied territories, while the Kremlin insists on recognition of its annexations and security guarantees.
Zelensky’s public challenge to Putin underscores both the urgency and fragility of the moment. “We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy,” the Ukrainian leader said.
It remains unclear whether Moscow will respond positively to the invitation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said late Sunday that Russia would “consider the proposal seriously,” but did not confirm attendance.
As the battlefield continues to claim lives daily, the prospect of high-level talks, however uncertain, offers a rare glimmer of diplomatic possibility in a war that has already lasted more than three years.
