Zelensky demands that the shooting be stopped in response to Putin’s invitation to direct conversations

President Voludmir Zelinski responded to Ukraine with caution on Sunday to present Russia to direct talks, describing it as a “positive sign” but insisted that President Vladimir F. Putin must agree to the immediate ceasefire first.

The Ukrainian leader’s comments came hours after Mr. Putin refused to stop the shooting effectively and instead proposed direct talks between representatives of the two countries on May 15 in Istanbul. Mr. Zellinski, the leader of these details, did not address directly, but he said in a post on social media that he was still “expected to confirm the ceasefire” on Monday.

He visited the leaders of France, Britain, Germany and Poland Ukraine during the weekend and set a final date for Russia to accept the ceasefire for 30 days or face additional sanctions. European leaders, who spoke with President Trump on the phone from Kiev on Saturday, said that the United States will impose sanctions on Russia if Mr. Putin does not agree to the truce.

On Sunday, Mr. Trump asked whether any of the two sides wanted to make a deal. In social media mailMr. Trump said that the leader of Russia “does not want to have an agreement to stop fire with Ukraine” but wants to meet in Türkiye. Mr. Trump added that he “began to suspect that Ukraine would make a deal” with Putin “, but he appealed to both sides to take the meeting.

“At least they will be able to determine whether the deal is possible or not, and if not, European leaders and the United States will know where everything stands, and they can move forward accordingly.”

Since the efforts made to end the war in Ukraine began three months ago, the Trump administration has agreed with Russia to vote at the United Nations in the war and resumed broader diplomatic ties with Moscow. She was left at the scene of the current economic sanctions, but it did not intensify pressure with additional restrictions, even because Mr. Putin showed little signs of decline in the war.

On the contrary, Ukraine agreed in March a US unlawful ceasefire.

At a late press conference at night on Saturday, Mr. Putin responded to the European deadline by requesting direct talks with Ukraine, which will start in Istanbul in the coming days. The ceasefire proposal, which the Kremlin spokesman said earlier, did not accept that it would only happen if Western governments stop providing weapons in Ukraine.

President Emmanuel Macron described France’s response insufficient Russia, saying that he left Ukraine as “a first but not enough step.” Mr. Macron said that Mr. Putin was stopping as direct conversations and “wanted to buy time.”

On Saturday, European leaders who visited KYIV were clear that only an unconditional ceasefire, avoids Moscow, offered additional penalties.

President Tayeb Erdogan spoke from Türkiye Mr. Putin He told him that he is ready to host discussions between Russia and Ukraine, according to a statement published on social media by the Turkish presidency. He added that Mr. Erdogan said that a comprehensive ceasefire could lead to a permanent deal to end the war.

The Kremlin announced a single and three -day truce last week throughout the country to celebrate the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. The Ukraine Army confirmed that most of the long -term strikes had stopped during that period, but the fighting along the front continued without stopping.

Russia has resumed its long -term drones on Ukraine overnight on Sunday. From midnight until midnight on Sunday, Russian forces fired 108 Shahi planes designed by Iranians, as the Ukrainian Air Force said, which led to air warnings in several cities.

Erica L. Green The reports contributed.