KABUL: Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has suggested that direct peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv should begin.
According to Reuters on Sunday, the talks are set to be hosted in Turkey and are expected to begin in four days (May 15).
The Russian president emphasized that the discussions should address the root causes of the war and lead to a lasting peace between Moscow and Kyiv.
In a statement from the Kremlin, Putin said, “We propose that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions. We invite the Kyiv authorities to restart talks on Thursday in Istanbul.”
He also mentioned that he plans to discuss the initiation of negotiations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Putin stressed that Moscow’s proposal is on the table, and the decision now lies with the Ukrainian authorities and their “supervisors.”
This comes at a time when senior officials from four European countries recently warned during their visit to Ukraine that if Russia rejects the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, further sanctions will be imposed on the country.