Putin says ready for ‘direct talks’ with Ukraine but Zelensky says he must agree ceasefire first.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a Russian-Vietnamese meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace on May 10, 2025, in Moscow, Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a Russian-Vietnamese meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace on May 10, 2025, in Moscow, Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested initiating 'direct negotiations' with Ukraine, a proposal that has been positively received by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who emphasized the necessity for Moscow to agree to a ceasefire beforehand. The negotiations were deemed insufficient. An unconditional ceasefire, by its very nature, does not follow negotiations," he stated to the press, noting that Putin is "seeking an exit strategy, yet still aims to gain more time. Around the same time as Putin's address, a three-day ceasefire initiated by the Russian leader concluded, with Ukraine reporting over 100 drone strikes overnight. Both parties accused one another of violating the ceasefire, which was established by Putin to commemorate Russia's World War II Victory Day. In response to Putin's offer, the demand for an unconditional ceasefire received support from the White House following a joint phone call with US President Donald Trump, as reported by European officials on Saturday. Shortly after Putin's suggestion, Trump shared on his social media platform, Truth Social, that it could be a "potentially significant day for both Russia and Ukraine!" He expressed his commitment to collaborating with both parties to ensure its realization, urging individuals to consider the countless lives that could be spared from the "ongoing bloodshed.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, at right, seated with the leaders of Britain, France, Poland and Germany for a meeting at the Mariinskyi Palace, the official residence of the president of Ukraine, in Kyiv on Saturday.

" For the past two months, Ukraine has expressed its desire for an immediate 30-day ceasefire. However, Russia has yet to agree, stating that while it supports the concept of a pause in principle, there are certain 'nuances' that must be addressed beforehand. On Sunday, President Putin refuted claims that Moscow has rejected dialogue with Kyiv, asserting that 'the decision now lies with the Ukrainian authorities.' He indicated that there may be an opportunity to establish a new truce during these discussions, describing the proposed negotiations as 'a first step towards a lasting and stable peace,' rather than a prelude to the continuation of armed conflict following the rearmament and re-equipping of Ukrainian forces and the extensive construction of new defensive positions. Former President Trump has prioritized ending the war in Ukraine and has made significant efforts to engage Putin. His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has visited Russia four times for discussions with Putin, alongside several other high-level meetings between U.S. and Russian officials since Trump resumed his presidency in January. Despite offering previously unimaginable concessions to Russia, the Trump administration has struggled to secure Russia's agreement to the limited ceasefire proposal, which is intended to pave the way for a permanent truce. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov conveyed to CNN that Russia is 'very grateful' for Washington's mediation efforts, but emphasized that 'it is quite futile to attempt to exert pressure on us.'