Zelenskyy urges face-to-face meeting with Putin to secure ceasefire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin would be essential for reaching a ceasefire, ahead of proposed talks in Istanbul later this week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed willingness to attend peace talks in Istanbul this week, but emphasized that he sees direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the only viable path toward establishing an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

Zelenskyy claimed that President Putin was "scared" of meeting him in person and said he expected strong sanctions from the United States and the European Union if the talks did not take place. He added that a failed meeting would indicate that Russia was not prepared for diplomacy.

“If he [Putin] takes the step to say he is ready for a ceasefire, then it opens the way to discussing all the elements to end the war,” Zelenskyy said.

"I'm not even mentioning that he is scared of direct talks with me," Zelenskiy said, and added that he planned to first meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, and would proceed to Istanbul if Putin confirms his attendance.

Zelenskyy also noted that Ukraine had invited U.S. President Donald Trump to the talks. Trump, who has expressed a desire to help mediate the conflict, has not yet confirmed his participation.

In addition, Zelenskyy said that China had expressed support for the proposed 30-day ceasefire, calling it a necessary step before broader peace negotiations can take place.

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