Talks or ceasefire first? Ukraine, Russia appear deadlocked over next steps
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday welcomed Russia's offer of direct peace talks, but insisted there must be a full, temporary ceasefire in place before negotiations can start.
Zelensky's comments came a few hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin in effect 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 last year's campaign, President Trump had promised to end the fighting swiftly — within 24 hours — but his administration recently indicated it might walk away from the peace process if there was no tangible progress.
Without directly mentioning either proposal, Trump said in a social media post several hours after Putin's peace talks remarks that it was 'a potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine!'
'Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end,' Trump wrote. 'I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens. The USA wants to focus, instead, on Rebuilding and Trade. A BIG week upcoming!' he added.
Zelensky, writing on X on Sunday, said that it was a 'positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war' and that 'the entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time.'
He added, however, that 'the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire,' in a reference to his proposal to start a 30-day unconditional truce on Monday.
Putin in remarks to the media early Sunday rejected that ceasefire offer and instead proposed restarting direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday 'without preconditions.' He said a ceasefire might be agreed on during the negotiations — but stressed that the Kremlin needs a truce that would lead to a 'lasting peace' instead of one that would allow Ukraine to rearm and mobilize more men into its armed forces.
Putin's counter-offer came after leaders from four major European countries threatened to ratchet up pressure on Moscow if it does not accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met with Zelensky in Kyiv on Saturday and issued a coordinated call for the truce starting Monday. The plan has received backing from both the European Union and Trump.
The leaders pledged tougher sanctions on Russia if Putin did not accept the proposal.
Zelensky, in his Sunday remarks, reiterated that call. 'There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day. We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire — full, lasting, and reliable — starting tomorrow, May 12th, and Ukraine is ready to meet,' the Ukrainian leader said on X.
Macron said Sunday that Putin's offer of direct negotiations with Ukraine is 'a first step, but not enough,' signaling continued Western skepticism toward Moscow's intentions.
'An unconditional ceasefire is not preceded by negotiations,' Macron told reporters at the Polish-Ukrainian border, according to French media.
Macron also warned that Putin is 'looking for a way out, but he still wants to buy time.'
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in comments aired by Russian state TV on Sunday, called Putin's proposal 'very serious,' aimed at eliminating 'the root causes of the conflict,' and said it 'confirms a real intention to find a peaceful solution.'
Putin spoke Sunday to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who expressed readiness to host the talks, the Kremlin said.
According to the Kremlin's readout of the phone call, Erdogan 'fully supported the Russian proposal, emphasizing his readiness to provide' a platform for the talks in Istanbul, as well as 'all possible assistance in organizing and holding the negotiations aimed at achieving sustainable peace.'
Erdogan also spoke to Macron on Sunday, according to a statement from the Turkish presidential communications office, and said that a 'historic turning point' had been reached in efforts to end the war.
Meanwhile, Russia resumed mass drone attacks in Ukraine early Sunday, after its self-declared three-day pause expired.
Russia launched 108 attack drones and simulator drones from six directions, Ukraine's air force said. It said 60 drones were shot down and 41 others failed to reach targets due to Ukrainian countermeasures.
The Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday accused Ukraine of violating Moscow's ceasefire more than 14,000 times. Ukraine, which did not agree to the Thursday-through-Saturday ceasefire, has also accused Russia of violating its own truce, with the Ukrainian foreign minister calling it a farce.
Kullab and Litvinova write for the Associated Press and reported from Kyiv and Tallinn, Estonia. AP writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, and Thomas Adamson-Koumbouzis in Paris contributed to this report.
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