Putin proposed direct negotiations — what will Ukraine’s response be?

Late in the evening on May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed in his address from the Kremlin to start direct negotiations with Ukraine, without any preconditions, on May 15 in Istanbul. This proposal once again confirmed Russia's readiness to restart the peace process with its southern neighbor.

"We propose to the authorities in Kyiv to resume negotiations that were halted at the end of 2022. This new meeting can again take place in Istanbul, as before," Putin said.

Erdogan's mediation is expected

According to Putin, he plans to contact Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the coming days and ask for Ankara's diplomatic assistance in creating conditions for negotiations:

"Tomorrow I will talk with President Erdogan. I will ask him to assist in organizing peace talks regarding Ukraine."

"We are ready for serious negotiations"

The Russian leader emphasized that the main goal of the talks should be eliminating the root causes of the conflict and achieving long-term, sustainable peace:

"If negotiations begin, new ceasefire terms or peace conditions may also be discussed."

Ukraine ready for ceasefire, the West is watching

One day before Putin’s statement, on May 10, Kyiv announced its readiness for a complete and unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days following a meeting with leaders of France, Poland, Britain, and Germany.

As a reminder, French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German opposition leader Friedrich Merz participated in the "Coalition of the Willing" summit in Kyiv.

Starmer: "If you're thinking about peace, now is the best time"

At a press conference following the negotiations in Kyiv, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated:

"If Putin is truly thinking about peace, now is the best time to demonstrate it. However, instead of peace, he is imposing conditions and holding military parades. If Putin rejects peace, we will respond."

Starmer also noted that together with U.S. President Donald Trump, efforts would continue to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities and force Russia back to the negotiating table.

The Zamin.uz editorial team will continue monitoring whether Russia's proposal to resume negotiations in Istanbul represents a new political impulse or merely propaganda. In any case, this initiative once again presents the international community with an opportunity to bring Moscow and Kyiv back to the path of peace.

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