Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Kyiv to meet in Istanbul for talks on May 12 at a nighttime press conference in the Kremlin, but did not commit to a ceasefire.
On a visit to Kyiv on Saturday the leaders of France, the UK, Germany and Poland pressured Russia – with US President Donald Trump’s support – to commit to an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine starting from Monday.
“There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day. We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire – full, lasting and reliable – starting tomorrow, May 12, and Ukraine is ready to meet,” Zelensky said on social media.
Sounding a rare note of optimism, the Ukrainian leader likewise said he saw positive signals from Russia.
“It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war,” Zelensky said.
“The entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire.”
Kyiv and its Western allies have argued that an unconditional ceasefire would be the only way to help find a diplomatic solution to the three-year conflict, Europe’s worst since World War II.
Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks since the war began in February 2022. (AFP)
