Sucizer a weekend of European diplomacy, President Trump implored Ukraine on Sunday to accept a Russian proposal for direct talks rather than insist first on a cease-fire-as had been presented in a plan announced a day earlier by European leaders during a visit to Kyiv.
The leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland had set a deadline on Monday for Russia to accept a 30-day cease-fire-initially proposed by the Trump administration-or faces additional sanctions.
When President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has made a counter-operate offset, without mentioning a cease-fire, France and Germany have rejected the proposal. Mr. Trump’s envoy in Ukraine in talks, General Keith Kellogg, also had earlier Sunday Sunday, Russia should interrupt hostilities as the first stage of negotiations.
But Mr. Trump wrote in an article on Truth Social that “President Putin of Russia does not want to have an agreement to hope with Ukraine”. The Russian chief, he wrote, rather wanted direct talks organized by Turkey. “Ukraine should accept this immediately,” Trump wrote.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Zelensky responded with caution to the Russian long-off of direct talks, insisting again on the fighting. After Mr. Trump’s post, Mr. Zelensky added a new turn on the diplomatic edge, saying that he would personally witness the negotiations. Mr. Putin, by suggesting direct talks, had not offered a presidential meeting.
Mr. Zelensky’s statement in a position on X did not specify whether his participation would depend on Russia by first accepting a cease-fire, but he called Russia again to stop hostilities to allow diplomacy.
“I will wait for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday,” he wrote. “Personally. I hope this time, the Russians will not look for an apology.”
The wave of exchanges occurred a few hours after Mr. Putin actually rejected the deadline of ceasefire on Monday and rather proposed that the direct talks between the representatives of the two countries take place Thursday in Istanbul.
Before fixing the deadline on Monday and threatening additional sanctions, European leaders had Talked on Saturday with Mr. Trump by phone from Kyiv. They said the United States would also impose sanctions on Russia if Mr. Putin did not accept a truce.
By supporting the counter-off of Russian talks in Istanbul, Mr. Trump wrote: “At least they will be able to determine whether an agreement is possible or not, and whether it is not the case, European leaders and the United States will know where everything is and can continue accordingly.”
Since he launched efforts to put an end to the war in Ukraine three months ago, the Trump administration aligned itself on Russia during a vote at the United Nations on the war and has taken over broader diplomatic links with Moscow. He left existing economic sanctions in place, but did not increase pressure with additional restrictions, even if Mr. Putin has shown few signs to withdraw the war.
Civil victims increased since discussions on the ceasefire of the Trump administration began, compared to the same period a year ago, according to the United Nations. Ukraine agreed in March by an American proposal for an unconditional ceasefire.
In addition to Mr. Putin’s call to direct talks, the Kremlin spokesman said Russia would only accept a truce if Western governments ceased to provide weapons to Ukraine.
President Emmanuel Macron, from France, described insufficient Russia’s response, saying that he was leaving Ukraine that it was “a first step but not enough”. Mr. Macron said that Mr. Putin was getting stuck with his counter-pace of direct talks and “wanted to buy time”.
On a declaration on Sunday, in a statement, the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, supported Mr. Zelensky’s request that Russia accepts a cease-fire before direct talks can begin.
“If the Russian party now signals a desire to speak, it is initially a good sign,” said Mr. Merz. “But it is far from being sufficient. We expect Moscow now to accept a cease-fire that can make real talks possible. Weapons must first be silent before the talks can begin.”
The European leaders who visited kyiv on Saturday were clear that only accepting an unconditional ceasefire would save additional sanctions in Moscow targeting oil exports and banking services.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye spoke with Mr. Putin and told him that he was ready to organize discussions between Russia and Ukraine, according to a declaration by the Turkish presidency. Erdogan said that a complete ceasefire could lead to a lasting agreement to end the war.
The Kremlin declared a unilateral three -day truce last week through the celebration of the country of the victory of victory over Nazi Germany. The army of Ukraine confirmed that most of the long -range strikes had stopped during this period, but the fighting along the front continued without break.
Russia resumed its long -range drone attacks against Ukraine on Sunday. From midnight in the middle of the morning on Sunday, Russian forces launched 108 Shahed drones designed by Iran, said Ukrainian Air Force, triggering air alarms in several cities.
Erica L. GreenAnastasia Kuznietsova and Clay Risen contributed to reports.
