Zelenskyy hopes for ceasefire with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy said he is hoping for a full and temporary ceasefire with Russia starting Monday, adding he would be in Turkiye to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin 'personally.'

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

His comments came after US President Donald Trump insisted Ukraine accept Russia's latest offer of holding direct talks in Turkiye Thursday.

Ukraine, along with European allies, had demanded Russia accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting Monday before holding talks, but Moscow effectively rejected the proposal and called for direct negotiations instead. It was not clear if Zelenskyy was conditioning his presence in Turkiye on the Monday ceasefire holding.

“We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Tirkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses,” he wrote on X.

Trump said in a social media post Sunday that Ukraine should agree to Putin's peace talks proposal ‘IMMEDIATELY.’