In a major diplomatic development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has agreed to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for face-to-face peace talks. The high-stakes summit is scheduled to take place this Thursday in Turkey.
The meeting, proposed by President Putin over the weekend, comes amid a fragile ceasefire between the two nations, timed to coincide with commemorations of the end of World War II in Europe. According to sources, former U.S. President Donald Trump played a key role in encouraging President Zelenskyy to accept the invitation.
President Zelenskyy confirmed the news in a statement earlier today, writing, “We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in prolonging the killings. I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday—personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses.”
On social media, former President Trump expressed strong support for the talks, writing, “Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY. At least they will be able to determine whether a deal is possible… HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!”
Meanwhile, President Putin marked Victory Day with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a massive military parade in Moscow’s Red Square. Despite criticism from Western leaders, Putin insisted that peace negotiations must happen without preconditions, emphasizing that discussions in Istanbul should address the root causes of the conflict.
Putin added that he would be speaking with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan later tonight to coordinate the logistics of the upcoming summit. He also pushed back against European demands for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, calling such ultimatums counterproductive.
The Russian leader acknowledged the possibility of a new ceasefire emerging from Thursday’s meeting, suggesting it could be the beginning of what he termed a “sustainable peace.”
This could mark a pivotal moment in the ongoing war, with the world watching closely to see if diplomacy can finally take hold.
We will continue to follow this story as it develops. Stay with SNEWS TV for live coverage from Istanbul on Thursday.
Reporting by Megan Owen.
