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Zelenskyy offers to meet Putin in Turkey – as Trump urges Ukraine to hold talks with Russia | World News


Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered to meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin in person in Turkey on Thursday.

It comes after he said his team were “ready to meet” Russian representatives following Vladimir Putin suggestion of peace talks, subject to an unconditional ceasefire starting on Monday.

Russia‘s president put forward the proposal for talks in Istanbul on Thursday after European leaders including Sir Keir Starmer threatened him with fresh sanctions if Russia failed to comply with an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting on Monday.

In a post on X, Mr Zelenskyy wrote: “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. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses.

It comes after Mr Trump shared a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, in which he said he was “starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin”.

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11:51

Putin’s call for peace talks genuine?

He urged them to accept the meeting invitation “immediately”, adding “have the meeting now”.

Mr Trump wrote: “President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath.

“Ukraine should agree to this, immediately. At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the US will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly.

“I’m starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who’s too busy celebrating the Victory of World War ll, which could not have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America.

“Have the meeting now!”

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Kremlin: ‘We don’t share Starmer’s view’

When Mr Putin first suggested the talks, Mr Trump hailed it “a potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine” and said he would “work with both sides to make sure it happens”.

Trump once again sided with Putin – Europe and Ukraine may need to end the war on their own


Dominic Waghorn - Diplomatic editor

Dominic Waghorn

International affairs editor

@DominicWaghorn

Diplomacy over Ukraine has become even more of a game of high-stakes poker.

In the early hours, Vladimir Putin played his hand, rejecting demands for a ceasefire and proposing direct talks in Istanbul instead.

That was in response to the opening gambit made on Saturday by Ukraine and its European allies.

Britain’s Sir Keir Starmer said they were “calling Putin out”, that if he was really serious about peace, he should agree to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire starting on Monday.

Read Waghorn’s full analysis here.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said he “fully supported” Mr Putin’s proposal and was ready to host the talks, after the two leaders spoke over the phone on Sunday.

Read more from Sky News:
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Michael Clarke Q&A on Ukraine war

But security and defence analyst Michael Clarke told Sky News presenter Matt Barbet there is a “long way between now and Thursday” and a “fair bit of brinkmanship” going on.

He said even if the talks do go ahead, “the chances are they’ll extend over a long period and there won’t be a ceasefire as a result of them, and the Russians will keep playing this out”.

European leaders hold call with Ukraine. Pic: Number 10
Image:
European leaders hold call with Mr Trump. Pic: Number 10

Mr Putin’s counteroffer of talks came after Sir Keir, Mr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, recently elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met in Kyiv.

The leaders said they had secured Mr Trump’s backing after briefing him on the progress made on the so-called “coalition of the willing” plans in a 20-minute phone call.



This story originally appeared on Skynews

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