Ukraine truce talks: Zelensky says ready to meet Putin in Istanbul

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday he would be ready to meet Vladimir Putin for talks in Istanbul on Thursday after US President Donald Trump told him to agree to an offer of talks with Russia immediately.

- Agencies

KYIV/MOSCOW:

Zelensky, in a post on X, also said that Ukraine expected a full ceasefire to start on Monday in order to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy to end the war. "And I will be waiting for Putin in Turkey on Thursday," he said.

Putin proposes direct peace talks with Ukraine Zelensky's comments came a few hours after Putin effectively rejected a ceasefire offer made a day earlier by Ukraine and its European allies.

Putin countered with a proposal to restart direct talks with Ukraine, during which a truce could be negotiated.

The exchange of proposals appeared to leave Kyiv and Moscow deadlocked over the next steps in a Washington-led effort to end the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year. During his election campaign, US President Donald Trump had promised to end the fighting swiftly but his administration recently indicated it might walk away from the peace process if there was no tangible progress.

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

"At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!" Trump wrote, adding: "HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!"