Zelensky calls Putin's bluff on Ukraine war peace talks

Bel Trew looks at how a crunch week might unfurl and whether Russia’s leader could be empty-chaired in Istanbul

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Volodymyr Zelensky has thrown down the gauntlet - and is calling Vladimir Putin's bluff - by announcing he will indeed be in Turkey on Thursday for direct talks on a ceasefire.

Over the weekend, Putin effectively rejected the Ukrainian president's call for 30-day unconditional truce, which is backed by Keir Starmer, the leaders of France, Germany and Poland (who were all in Ukraine) as well as members of the 31-country “coalition of the willing”.

The month-long break from fighting was designed, Zelensky said, as the “foundation for diplomacy” to allow talks for a longer deal. It was supposed to be a continuation of a three-day temporary truce that Putin had initially called, but which expired on Sunday.

Never one to be cajoled, Russia resumed mass drone attacks in Ukraine early on Sunday, launching 108 attack drones from six directions, Ukraine’s air force said.

And instead of pausing fighting, Putin called for direct peace talks to be held on 15 May in Istanbul, brokered by his frenemy, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. We can only assume Putin expected his spanner-in-the-works suggestion to be rejected by Zelensky.

But the Ukrainian leader stepped up to the challenge – particularly after Donald Trump cast doubt on Ukraine’s interest in a peace deal, ending a social media post over the weekend with “HAVE THE MEETING NOW!!!”

“I will be in Turkey this Thursday, 15 May, and I expect Putin to come to Turkey as well, personally,” Zelensky said bluntly yesterday. “I hope that this time, Putin won’t be looking for excuses as to why he ‘can’t’ make it. We are ready to talk, to end this war. Thursday. Turkey.”