Ukraine 'ready to meet' Russia for talks after full, lasting ceasefire starting May 12, Zelensky says
Ukraine expects Russia to confirm a full and lasting ceasefire starting May 12 and declared its readiness to begin talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement on May 11.
Zelensky called a ceasefire the essential first step toward ending the war.
“It’s a good sign that the Russians are finally thinking about ending the war,” Zelensky said. “Everyone in the world has long awaited this. And the first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire.”
“There is no point in continuing the killing, even for one more day,” he added. “We expect Russia to confirm a full, durable, and reliable ceasefire starting tomorrow, May 12, and Ukraine is ready to meet.”
Zelensky’s remarks came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin invited Ukraine to direct talks in Istanbul starting May 15, but rejected a broader, U.S.- and EU-backed 30-day unconditional ceasefire.
Instead, Putin accused Ukraine of violating a three-day ceasefire he had unilaterally declared for Victory Day commemorations, claiming Kyiv launched cross-border attacks into Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions.
The temporary "truce," which lasted from midnight May 8 to midnight May 11, officially expired on Saturday. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian attacks on civilian areas and frontline positions continued throughout the ceasefire period.
Kyiv accepted an unconditional 30-day U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal in March, but Moscow rejected it, demanding a complete end to Western military support for Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly proclaimed its supposed readiness for peace talks while simultaneously pushing for maximalist demands, including the incorporation of the four Ukrainian regions illegally annexed in autumn 2022 into Russia.
Kyiv has dismissed these declarations as a propaganda stunt, noting that Russian forces have only intensified their attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns.
