Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for direct peace talks. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Zelensky said he will wait for Putin in Turkey this Thursday.
The message was clear: “I will be waiting for Putin in Turkey on Thursday.” Zelensky added that he hopes for a full and lasting ceasefire starting Monday. He believes this would open the door for serious talks and help end the war.
“We expect a complete and permanent ceasefire starting tomorrow,” Zelensky wrote. “This will create the base needed for diplomacy. There is no point in letting the killing go on. I will be in Turkey on Thursday, ready to talk.”
He stressed again that a ceasefire is the first step. “The war must stop. If we agree on a long-term, total, and unconditional ceasefire, we can move toward a real solution.”
This is not the first time Zelensky has asked for peace. Just last week, he had asked Russia for a 30-day ceasefire starting Monday (May 12). He said any talk with Russia would need peace on the ground first.
The Russian side has yet to agree to that. But on Sunday night, U.S. President Donald Trump made a surprising statement. Posting on his social media site Truth Social, Trump said Putin is not interested in a peace deal right now. Instead, Putin wants to meet Zelensky directly in Turkey.
“Putin doesn’t want to sign a ceasefire deal. He wants a face-to-face talk in Turkey,” Trump wrote. “Ukraine should accept this right away.”
Trump urged Zelensky to meet Putin on Thursday (May 15) in Istanbul. He said the time to end the bloodshed is now. “Zelensky should agree to sit down and talk. That’s the only way this can stop.”
He also questioned Ukraine’s willingness to make peace. “I now wonder if Ukraine really wants a deal,” Trump wrote. “Putin is busy with the WWII Victory Day celebrations, but he is still open to talk. Without U.S. help, Russia wouldn’t have won that war. So, talk now!”
The comment has stirred global reaction. Many leaders have welcomed the idea of peace talks, even if they remain unsure if they will happen.
Zelensky’s call comes after weeks of heavy fighting. Ukraine blames Russia for many attacks, including one in Pahalgam, Kashmir, where 26 people died. Most of them were tourists. That attack pushed Ukraine to strike back in what it called “Operation Sindoor,” targeting terror bases in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir.
Though that conflict is separate from the Russia-Ukraine war, the message is the same: Ukraine says it wants peace but will defend itself if needed.
Now, with new hopes for talks between Zelensky and Putin, eyes turn to Turkey. The world waits to see if the two leaders will meet. If they do, it may be the first real chance at stopping a war that has gone on far too long.
A Turkish official confirmed Istanbul is ready to host the talks. “We believe in peace through dialogue,” the official said.
If both leaders show up, it could mark a turning point in the war. But for now, nothing is confirmed.
Will Putin meet Zelensky in Turkey? Will the guns go silent? The world will find out soon.
