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Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed holding direct peace negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15.
He emphasized that the discussions should aim to end the ongoing conflict and address its underlying causes.
In February 2022, Putin dispatched troops into Ukraine, initiating the most significant confrontation between Russia and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
Putin stated that Russia is advocating for direct talks in Istanbul to "eliminate the root causes of the conflict" and to foster a "long-lasting peace."
He accused Ukraine of abandoning negotiations in 2022 but asserted that Moscow is now prepared to engage in talks without any prerequisites.
"It wasn’t Russia that halted the negotiations in 2022; it was Ukraine. Still, we are offering Kyiv the chance to restart direct discussions without any conditions," Putin remarked, referring to the unsuccessful talks that followed Russia’s invasion.
"We invite the Kyiv authorities to resume negotiations as early as Thursday in Istanbul," he added.
"Our proposal, as they say, is on the table. The ball is now in the court of the Ukrainian authorities and their advisors, who seem to prioritize their personal political goals over the welfare of their people."
In a recent move, major European nations supported an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, warning Putin of "massive" new sanctions if he does not comply soon.
Trump, aiming to be seen as a peacemaker, has repeatedly expressed his desire to end the "bloodbath" of the Ukraine conflict, framing it as a proxy war between the United States and Russia.
Former President Joe Biden, along with Western European leaders and Ukraine, has characterized the invasion as an imperial land grab, consistently vowing to defeat Russian forces.
Putin views the war as a pivotal moment in Russia’s ties with the West, claiming that NATO’s expansion after the Soviet Union’s fall in 1991 has humiliated Russia and encroached upon what he considers its sphere of influence, including Ukraine.
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