Kyiv, May 11 – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Ukraine was ready for peace talks with Russia but insisted that any negotiations must begin with a full, temporary ceasefire, after Moscow proposed talks without such a condition.
In a social media post, Zelenskyy described Russian President Vladimir Putin’s counteroffer to start direct talks “without preconditions” as a “positive sign,” but reiterated that “the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire.” He stressed that the entire world has been waiting for this moment, but insisted that peace discussions could only move forward once a 30-day ceasefire is in place, starting May 12, 2025.
“There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day,” Zelenskyy wrote, urging Moscow to confirm its commitment to a lasting and reliable ceasefire before any discussions commence.
The announcement came after Russia resumed its drone strikes on Ukraine on Sunday morning, ending a self-declared three-day ceasefire. Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 108 drones from six directions, with Ukrainian forces successfully shooting down 60 of them, while 41 simulator drones were thwarted by countermeasures.
In response to the resumed hostilities, the Russian Defence Ministry accused Ukraine of violating its own ceasefire over 14,000 times, but Ukrainian officials dismissed the claim, labeling Moscow’s unilateral ceasefire as a “farce.” Ukraine had not agreed to the ceasefire and has previously accused Russia of violating it.
Meanwhile, Putin’s offer to restart talks in Istanbul on May 8, 2025, with no preconditions, was seen as a rejection of Zelenskyy’s call for an immediate ceasefire. In his statement, Putin suggested that a ceasefire could be discussed during the negotiations.
The diplomatic tension comes as Russia faces mounting pressure from European leaders who have pushed for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. A coalition of European countries had presented the ceasefire proposal on May 10, expressing solidarity with Ukraine and urging Russia to halt its military activities.
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism over the potential for talks, calling it “a potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine” in a social media post. Trump added that he would continue efforts to mediate and said that the United States was focusing on rebuilding and trade in the aftermath of the conflict.
In a separate development, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with both Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron, offering to host negotiations in Istanbul. Erdogan called the current moment a “historic turning point” in efforts to resolve the war and emphasized Turkey’s readiness to contribute to peace.
On the Russian side, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Putin’s peace proposal “very serious” and stated that the main aim of the talks would be to “eliminate the root causes of the conflict” while safeguarding Russia’s interests.
As military activity on both sides continues, the international community remains divided over how to bring a lasting end to the conflict. Zelenskyy’s government remains firm in its demand for a ceasefire as the first step toward meaningful peace talks, while Russia’s counteroffer suggests the path to resolution remains fraught with challenges.
