In a late-night Kremlin speech filled with drama, Russian President Vladimir Putin invited direct peace talks with Ukraine in an attempt to put an end immediately to the disastrous war that has been unfolding since Russia invaded Ukraine on a large scale since February 2022. Russian President Putin’s late-night announcement on Sunday, May 11, broadcast tentative optimism, bitter skepticism, and furious diplomacy, with the world rushing to absorb news of a deal in one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 21st century.
The war, which is costing hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians, displaced millions, and created the worst Russia-West confrontation since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, is at a juncture. Russian forces, occupying roughly a fifth of Ukrainian territory, inch forward steadily over months, and Ukraine, encouraged by Western military aid, continue resisting with all their might. In light of such a backdrop, Putin’s call for talks in Istanbul, Turkey, by at least by May 15 is an unusual public gesture, though one that is suspect with regard to sincerity and feasibility.
Terms of Putin’s Offer
He made his appeal for “unconditional negotiations” for a “long-lasting peace” during his televised speech. He nominated Istanbul, suggesting Turkey’s neutrality and previous hosting of Russia-Ukraine talks during 2022. “We offered the authorities there, in Kyiv, to continue talks already on Thursday, in Istanbul,” Putin stated, framing his overtures as a chance for a confrontation’s resolution of “its root causes.” Putin would negotiate terms for “new truces” or a ceasefire but stopped short of calling for a cessation of fighting.
The move is a next step toward increasing global pressure. Earlier, main European capitals, which were convening together in Kyiv on Saturday, urged an unconditional 30-day ceasefire at the risk of “massive” additional sanctions if Russia failed to do so. Putin dismissed such a demand as “ultimatums” and blamed the West for nourishing the war by arming Ukraine. He also cited past Russian ceasefire overtures, including an energy strike moratorium and a 72-hour ceasefire for recent World War II celebrations, and claimed that Ukraine had disregarded them with drone and missile assaults.
The Russian president reiterated terms laid out in June 2024, including withdrawal by Ukraine from four claimed regions by Russia—Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—and a definitive relinquishment of membership aspirations for an association with NATO. The president invoked a 2022 draft deal, brokered a few months into the invasion, wherein Ukraine would become neutral for security guarantees by the five U.N. Security Council veto-holding members (Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States). “Not Russia, but Kyiv, which cut off negotiations back in 2022,” Putin claimed, expressing a readiness to revive elements of that agreement.
Ukrainian Response: Ceasefire First
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded promptly on X, calling Putin’s offer “a positive sign” while making a “complete, durable, and reliable” ceasefire by or on May 12 a pre-condition for negotiations. “The first step towards really finishing any war is a ceasefire,” Zelensky wrote, echoing Kiev’s consistent demand that talks are a non-starter so long as Russian shelling goes on. Zelensky suggested negotiating in Istanbul but made Ukrainian participation contingent upon Russian halting of hostilities.
Zelenskiy’s guarded optimism is contrasted with Kiev’s overall standpoint. Kiev has continued to reject Russia’s territorial and geopolitical claims as a bid to legitimize an imperial-style grab for territory. Ukrainian officials also hold Russia responsible for violating past ceasefires, such as the May 8-10 ceasefire, when a Russian attack on Ukrainian forces was reported by Kiev. Russian drones struck Kiev and other areas on Sunday, injuring an individual and destroying homes, showing the fragility of any peace process.
International Response: Hopes, Skepticism, and Diplomacy
The global community responded with optimism and skepticism. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has branded himself a would-be peacemaker, welcomed the breakthrough on Truth Social. “A potentially tremendous day for Russia and for Ukraine!” Trump wrote, stating further that it is worth sparing “hundreds of thousands of lives” and ending the “never-ending bloodbath.” Trump’s optimism tracks his campaign promises of ending the war at once, although his government has yet to roll out a detailed mediation plan.
European leaders, proceeding with caution, are doubtful. French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking to journalists during a visit to Kyiv, termed Putin’s offer a “first step” but insufficient without an unconditional cessation of fighting. “An unconditional ceasefire is not a preface for negotiations,” Macron said, suggesting Putin may be looking for a possibility to regroup his forces. European great powers, concerned with Russia’s military gains, escalated calls for sanctions and military support for Ukraine, viewing Putin’s offer as a potential way of gauging Western resolve. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who had an active hand in facilitating previous Russia-Ukraine talks, reaffirmed Turkey’s willingness to be a location for talks. Putin said he would talk over details with Erdogan later on Sunday. Brazil, China, and Middle Eastern and African nations were thanked by Putin for efforts at mediation, demonstrating a broad diplomatic push for backing for talks.
Historical Context and Challenges
Despite all the diplomacy, significant hurdles remain. Putin’s demand for negotiations about the “roots” of the war fits into Russia’s rationale for a war born of post-Soviet expansion by NATO and Western meddling into Moscow’s sphere of influence. That perspective is at odds with Ukrainian and Western perspectives on an unprovoked invasion by Russia. Western European leaders and ex-U.S. President Joe Biden have vowed to defeat Russia’s military, casting the war as a defense of Ukrainian sovereignty and democratic values.
The 2022 Istanbul talks, referred to by Putin, also collapsed over mutual suspicion. Russia accused Ukraine of using negotiations to buy time to regroup, and Ukraine accused Russia of rushing into an agreement because Western allies were applying pressure on it. The draft deal, which Reuters has reviewed, included Ukrainian neutrality and territorial compromises—terms unacceptable for Kyiv. Reconstituting such a deal would be vehemently opposed by Ukraine and allies.
Furthermore, Russia’s consistent assaults, including last Sunday’s drone attacks, cast doubts about Putin’s intention for a decrease in tensions. Experts regard the promise as a political tactic for averting sanctions from Europe, appeasing domestic sentiment, or exploiting Western seeming splits on supporting Ukraine. Putin’s hesitation to promise an end immediately, too, gives rise to questions about whether Russia will negotiate from a strong bargaining position, having acquired territory.
The Way Forward: Peace or Stalemate?
While a Ukrainian response and a Russian move are still awaited by the world, reported talks in Istanbul are a watershed. A true ceasefire and effective talks could provide a foundation upon which a start of an end to fighting could be made, with potential lives saved of thousands and peace regained for a war-torn area. Yet deep mistrust between Moscow and Kiev and competing claims guarantee that any agreement will prove hard to secure.
The mediation of Turkey will be pivotal, balancing membership of NATO against economic relations with Russia. Erdogan’s failure, or otherwise, to elicit commitments from either party could decide whether or not talks take place. Meanwhile, world powers including the U.S., China, and the EU will decide on overall geopolitical consequences.
For now, the world waits with bated breath for a move toward peace even while bracing for the possibility that Putin’s gesture is a tactical gambit in a war that has defied resolution. As Zelenskiy succinctly put it, first will be whether Russian seriousness is tested by allowing it to silence its guns. Until then, at least, there is no path to peace. Reuters reporting by Marina Bobrova, Dmitry Antonov, Lidia Kelly, Anastasia Lyrchikova, and Felix Light. Edited by Guy Faulconbridge, Lincoln Feast, and Christian Schmollinger. This article is governed by Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
