Zelenskyy says he's ready to meet Putin in Istanbul for peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he'll travel to Türkiye later this week to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for potential ceasefire talks over the Ukraine crisis. in what will be their first face-to-face since the war began over three years ago.

Lee Seung-jae reports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he's ready to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin face-to-face for talks to finally end the Russia-Ukraine War.

The Ukrainian leader said Sunday that he would be in Istanbul to negotiate with his Russian counterpart "personally," raising hopes for a complete ceasefire.

Zelenskyy took to X, saying that it was a "positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war."

However, he stressed that "the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire," adding that Kyiv hopes Moscow will confirm a ceasefire starting Monday.

Zelenskyy's comments came after Putin announced that Moscow is ready to resume direct talks with Kyiv in Istanbul starting on May 15.

According to the Associated Press on Sunday, Putin said that "Russia has continuously proposed a ceasefire," adding they "had never once refused dialogue with Ukraine."

The Russian leader also stressed that "Ukraine bears the responsibility for the suspension of negotiations in 2022," and called on Kyiv to "resume the previously suspended negotiations unconditionally."

However, Putin did not specify whether the talks in Istanbul would involve the two leaders directly.

A number of world leaders,.. including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met with Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Saturday.

They issued a joint call for a 30-day ceasefire starting Monday, a plan which has also received support from both the EU and Washington.

The leaders also pledged tougher sanctions on Moscow if Putin did not accept the ceasefire proposal.

Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.