According to the announcement of the Turkish leader's office, Erdogan talked to Putin by phone about the proposal submitted a few hours earlier by the Kremlin regarding direct peace conversations with Ukraine. Russia suggested that they take place on Thursday (May 15) in Istanbul without preliminary conditions.
President Erdogan responds to Putin's proposal. “Türkiye is ready”
Erdogan also talked about this subject with French President Emmanuel Macron. He emphasized that the parties to the conflict reached the “historic turning point” and could end the war. “This opportunity should be used, and Türkiye is ready to provide all possible support, including the organization of negotiations, to develop a suspension of weapons and a lasting peace,” said Erdogan.
Earlier, the French leader expressed the view that the Russian proposal is another manifestation of the game. Macron called her, among others “delaying maneuver”, and also assessed that this was “the first step but insufficient”. According to him, the Kremlin's proposal aims to “gain time”.
Putin's adviser on foreign Yuri Ruszakov stated that Russian-Ukrainian negotiations should take into account the “situation on the front”, and their starting point would be a return to the interrupted negotiations from autumn 2022.
In response to the Russian proposal, the Chancellery of the President of Wołodymyr Zelanski emphasized that the suspension of weapons would be the first step towards the end of the war. “First, a 30-day ceasefire, and then everything else. The suspension of the weapon is the first step towards the end of the war and will confirm Russia's readiness to end up killing,” wrote the head of the office Andrij Jermak in a telegram.
On Saturday in Kiev, the peak of “Coalitions willing” took place with the participation of leaders of Poland, France, Germany and Great Britain. After the talks, Zelanski offered the Kremlin a truce for 30 days.
