By TOM BALMFORTH Reuters
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KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was ready to meet Vladimir Putin in Turkey on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump told him publicly to immediately accept the Kremlin leader’s proposal of direct talks.

Zelenskyy’s suggestion of a meeting with Putin capped a dramatic 48 hours in which European leaders joined Zelenskyy in demanding a 30-day ceasefire from Monday, only for Putin to make a counter-proposal to instead hold the first direct Ukraine-Russia talks since the early months of the 2022 invasion.

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It was far from clear, however, that Putin meant he would attend in person. Putin and Zelenskyy have not met since December 2019 and make no secret of their contempt for each other.

“I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses.”

On Telegram, his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, added: “What about Putin? Is he afraid? We’ll see.”

The Ukrainian leader had responded guardedly earlier on Sunday after the Russian president, in a night-time televised statement that coincided with prime time in the U.S., proposed direct talks in Istanbul next Thursday, May 15.

Putin’s suggestion came hours after major European powers demanded on Saturday in Kyiv that he agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire or face “massive” new sanctions, a position that Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg endorsed.

Zelenskyy too had said Ukraine was ready for talks, if Moscow agreed to the 30-day ceasefire.

Yet Trump, who has the power to continue or sever Washington’s crucial supply of arms to Ukraine, took a different line.

“President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire 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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!”