Putin calls for May 15 'direct' talks with Ukraine

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
11 May 2025 08:21

As European leaders gather in Kiev to demand a ceasefire, Putin proposes renewed peace talks with Ukraine, warning against arming Kiev and urging negotiations without preconditions.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he speaks to journalists in the Grand Palace at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 11, 2025, after celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany during World War II. (Photo host agency RIA Novosti via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a new round of "direct" negotiations with Ukraine, setting May 15 as the proposed date for talks aimed at establishing what he described as a “lasting, strong peace.”

The proposal was made during a rare late-night televised address from the Kremlin and came just hours after European leaders' coordinated visit to Kiev, where they urged an immediate and unconditional 30-day ceasefire across all fronts: air, land, and sea.

“We are seeking serious negotiations,” Putin stated, suggesting a return to Istanbul as the venue, where earlier rounds of talks were held.

He added that peace should not be a cover for rearmament. “This would be the first step towards a long-term, lasting peace, rather than a prologue to more armed hostilities after the Ukrainian armed forces get new armaments and personnel… Who needs peace like that?”

This came after NBC News reported that US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to present Russian President Vladimir Putin with a comprehensive 22-point peace proposal designed to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.

The plan, developed through coordinated efforts by US, European, and Ukrainian negotiators, centers on a 30-day ceasefire and includes a pivotal concession: a US commitment not to support Ukraine's bid to join NATO, an issue that has long been a red line for Moscow.

The proposal, which draws on months of backchannel diplomacy in Paris, Riyadh, and St. Petersburg, attempts to address Russia's core security concerns while laying the groundwork for further negotiations.

Ceasefire for Victory Day expired

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the ceasefire for the 80th anniversary of the Victory, proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, had expired.

"Of course," Peskov said when asked whether the ceasefire declared in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Victory had ended.

Trump hails talks, vows to end 'bloodbath' war

US President Donald Trump welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal for direct talks with Ukraine as “a potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine,” expressing hope for an end to the ongoing conflict and pledging continued engagement with both sides.

“Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never-ending ‘bloodbath’ hopefully comes to an end,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “It will be a whole new, and much better, WORLD.”

He added, “I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens. The USA wants to focus, instead, on Rebuilding and Trade. A BIG week upcoming!”

European coalition presses for ceasefire in Kiev

Putin’s remarks followed a show of unity in Kiev on Saturday, where the leaders of the so-called “coalition of the willing”, the UK, France, Germany, and Poland, stood alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a push for a ceasefire.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk jointly warned Russia that failure to halt military operations would trigger sweeping new sanctions targeting its energy and banking sectors.

Sir Keir later told the BBC that US President Donald Trump supported the initiative. “The US president was absolutely clear that their suggestion of an immediate ceasefire was a demand that must be met,” he said.

Zelensky welcomed the show of support, calling it critical to building “real and lasting security.”

On his part, French President Emmanuel Macron described Vladimir Putin’s call for direct negotiations with Ukraine as “a first step, but not enough,” in response to the Russian leader’s call.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday in the Polish city of Przemysl after returning from Ukraine, Macron emphasized that “an unconditional ceasefire is not preceded by negotiations.” He also suggested that Putin’s offer may be more tactical than sincere, saying the Russian president is “looking for a way out, but he still wants to buy time.”

Western powers threaten expanded sanctions

Kiev’s European allies threatened new sanctions against Russia, including a permanent block on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that connects Russia to Germany, if the Kremlin doesn’t agree to President Trump’s 30-day ceasefire in its war with Ukraine.

At a summit of European leaders in Kiev on Saturday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also said the bloc would double the number of vessels on a blacklist for carrying Russian oil. The UK took a similar step this week.

While European leaders called for restraint, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov maintained a defiant posture, saying that efforts to pressure Moscow were “quite useless". He characterized the ceasefire initiative as “generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations.”

Moscow has repeatedly said that any discussion of a ceasefire must begin with a halt to Western arms deliveries to Kiev. Putin, in his address, accused Ukraine of ignoring several Russian ceasefire offers, including an Easter truce and a 30-day pause in strikes on energy infrastructure. He also cited a unilateral ceasefire in April for World War Two commemorations, which expired at midnight on Saturday.

“In spite of everything, we are offering the Kiev authorities to resume the negotiations... resume direct talks, and I stress, without any preconditions,” Putin declared. Peskov reiterated this stance, emphasizing that Russia would not accept demands imposed through external pressure or threats of sanctions.

Past ceasefire attempts and mutual accusations

The Ukrainian government has not issued an official response to the proposal. Previous Russian ceasefire announcements have been met with skepticism in Kiev, with Ukrainian officials dismissing them as propaganda moves.

During the most recent truce period, both sides accused each other of violations. Ukraine claimed over 730 breaches on Thursday alone, while Russia cited 488.

The last known direct talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in 2022, shortly after the full-scale invasion began.