The U.S. State Department reaffirmed on May 11 that securing an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine remains the United States' top priority, despite seemingly contradictory messaging from U.S. President Donald Trump.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the U.S. commitment to halting hostilities in Ukraine during a call with U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
"Our top priority remains bringing an end to the fighting and an immediate ceasefire," the State Department readout said, citing Rubio.
The secretary of state also held a phone call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, discussing a recent meeting of European and Ukrainian leaders in Kyiv and the "shared goal of ending the war in Ukraine."
The comments came after Trump urged Ukraine to agree to direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has invited Kyiv to peace talks in Istanbul on May 15, without first agreeing to halt military operations.
"President Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Trump's remarks contrast with the European position and statements made earlier by U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg. Leaders from Germany, France, the U.K., and Poland reiterated during a summit in Kyiv last week that no negotiations should begin without a full and unconditional ceasefire, a stance supported by Kyiv.
Kellogg initially said, "An unconditional 30-day ceasefire first and, during it, move into comprehensive peace discussions. Not the other way around."
Later, he reposted Trump's call for talks, claiming, "President Trump has been consistently clear. The killing needs to stop — now," stopping short of an explicit reference to the ceasefire.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 11 that he is ready to meet Putin in Turkey on May 15.
"We expect a ceasefire from tomorrow (May 12) — this proposal is on the table. A complete and unconditional ceasefire — long-term, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy — could bring peace much closer," he added.
Ukraine has accused Russia of ignoring the truce proposal as a Russian drone reportedly attacked a freight train in Donetsk Oblast on May 12, injuring a driver.
Kyiv has already agreed to a U.S.-backed proposal for a 30-day truce, saying it is prepared to move forward if Moscow reciprocates. So far, the Kremlin has refused, instead proposing talks, which, according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, Russia wishes to be based on the terms of the 2022 Istanbul discussions and the "current situation on the battlefield."
The Istanbul talks refer to negotiations between Ukraine and Russia held in Turkey in late March 2022, which outlined potential terms for a peace deal.
In the three years since the failed talks, Russian propaganda networks have frequently promoted the idea that peace was almost achieved in Istanbul before Western leaders, in particular then-U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, allegedly pressured Zelensky to reject the deal and continue fighting.
In reality, leaked documents from 2022 show that Moscow's first peace offer amounted to Ukraine's effective surrender, including massive troop reductions, abandonment of advanced weapons, and recognition of Russian control over occupied territories.
Anna Fratsyvir
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