Putin calls for “direct” and “immediate” conversations with Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for “direct conversations” with Ukraine, stating that they should “start without delay, as early as May 15”.

“We are looking for serious conversations … to remove the root causes of the conflict and to start moving to a lasting, strong peace,” he said on Saturday, at a rare television address on a late night from the Kremlin.

It came hours after European leaders – including the United Kingdom Prime Minister Sir Kiir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron – visited Ukraine and called on Russia to agree to an unconditionally 30 -day fire.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said in response that Moscow “would have to think this through”, but warned that “the attempt to press us is quite useless.”

In his statement, Putin said he would “not exclude” the possibility of conversations – which he proposed to be held in the largest city of Istanbul in Turkey – to lead to Russia and Ukraine agreed “new terminations, new truce.”

The Russian leader said he would talk to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday to discuss the details.

Kiev did not respond to the invitation that came the same day when European leaders traveled to the Ukrainian capital and called on Moscow to agree to a monthly end of the fire, starting on Monday.

Leaders of France, Germany, UK and Poland – part of the so -called “Coalition of desire” – host the President of Ukraine Volodimir Zelenski and participates in a joint press conference during the trip.

They warned that “new and massive” sanctions would be imposed on the energy and banking sectors of Russia, which Putin should not agree to the unconditional 30-day termination of fire “in the air, in the sea and on the land.”

They also said they had discussed the proposal with Donald Trump. Later Sir Cayer told the BBC The President of the United States was “absolutely clear” that their proposal for an immediate ceasefire was “a request to be fulfilled.”

After the meeting – a symbolic response to Victory Day Celebrations host Putin in Moscow A day earlier – Zelenski thanked the “collected leaders” for the “standing with” Ukraine.

“Today we will focus on how to build and guarantee real and lasting security,” he said.

In response to the proposal, Peskov from the Kremlin said, “This is a new development. But the attempt to press us is quite useless.”

The Russian state media also quoted him that Europe’s statements were “generally confrontation in nature, not aimed at trying to revive our relations.”

Earlier, Moscow said that before considering the cessation of fire, the West must first stop its military assistance to Ukraine.

Later, Putin made his own statement, with the video showing journalists gathered in a hall inside the Kremlin.

“This will be the first step to a long -term, lasting peace, not a prologue of more armed hostilities after the Ukrainian armed forces receive new weapons and staff, after feverish drying and the establishment of new command posts,” he said.

“Who needs such peace?”

Putin also accused Ukraine of repeatedly failed to respond to numerous suggestions for ending fire from Moscow, including 30-day stopping attacks against energy infrastructure and last month EasterS

On the day after Moscow agreed to stop targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, Zelenski told EU leaders that “nothing has changed” and the attacks continue.

Another who ended the fire that Putin Flag was the one he ordered in April to coincide with World War II. He ended on Saturday at midnight local time (9:00 pm GMT).

Kyiv had rejected the unilateral, three -day cessation of the fire, calling it a “theater show”. Instead, Zelenski repeats calls for a longer truce of at least 30 days.

On Thursday – the same day, the alleged ceasefire – Ukraine accused Russia of more than 730 violations and said it reacted “appropriately”.

The Russian Ministry of Defense insisted that the truce was observed before accusing Ukraine of 488 violations.

“Nevertheless, we suggest to Kiev’s authorities to resume the negotiations … Restore direct conversations and I emphasize, without any prerequisites,” Putin said on Saturday.

Recent direct negotiations between Moscow and Kiev took place shortly after the full -scale invasion of Russia in Ukraine began more than three years ago.