Zelenskiy Agrees to Meet Putin in Turkey Amid Ceasefire Talks

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced his readiness to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey on Thursday. This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump urged Zelenskiy to accept Putin’s proposal for direct talks.

The possibility of a meeting was raised amid a tense 48 hours where European leaders joined Zelenskiy in demanding a 30-day ceasefire starting Monday. Putin countered by suggesting direct talks in Istanbul, marking the first direct discussions since the invasion began in early 2022.

“I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally,” Zelenskiy wrote on X. “I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses.” His chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, contributed on Telegram by questioning, “What about Putin? Is he afraid? We’ll see.”

In a nighttime televised address, Putin proposed talks in Istanbul, but it remained uncertain if he would attend in person. The leaders last met in December 2019, and their relationship has been marked by disdain.

On the previous Saturday, Zelenskiy had called on Putin to agree to an unconditional ceasefire or face heavy new sanctions. Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, supported this stance. Meanwhile, Trump stated via Truth Social that Ukraine should “IMMEDIATELY” agree to negotiations to potentially halt the violence.

Trump holds significant influence over U.S. military aid to Ukraine, which Zelenskiy hopes to unlock further. For Russia, the talks represent a chance to alleviate economic sanctions and re-engage with Western powers.

The conflict has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022, marking the most severe East-West tensions since the Cold War. Despite suggesting straightforward negotiations, Putin’s aides indicated that talks must consider the current on-ground realities, suggesting Kyiv must accept Russian control over parts of Ukraine.

Zelenskiy has previously said that any concession would be tantamount to capitulation, and he also emphasized that Ukraine’s ceasefire plan remains intact. However, the Russian response to his proposal is still awaited.

As tensions linger, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has warned of a possible Russian air attack in the near future, adding urgency to the ongoing discussions.