Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend peace talks in Turkey this Thursday. Zelensky said he’s ready to meet in Ankara or Istanbul and pushed for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire as the first step to ending the war.
Zelenskyy emphasized that a 30-day unconditional ceasefire is essential to initiate the process toward ending the conflict, adding that only Putin has the authority to halt Russia’s offensive. U.S. President Donald Trump, who is leading the current peace efforts, is sending Secretary of State Marco Rubio along with senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg. Trump has said he may attend personally if Putin shows up. However, the Kremlin has not confirmed Putin’s attendance, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that an announcement will come when the president deems it necessary.
Zelensky has expressed doubt about Putin’s willingness to engage directly, accusing him of avoiding face-to-face discussions. He has warned that if Putin does not show up, the West should impose strong sanctions on Russia.
