In a significant development, US President Donald Trump has expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to resume direct peace talks with Ukraine, which have been stalled since 2022. This move aims to restart negotiations in Istanbul, Türkiye, and potentially bring an end to the ongoing conflict. Trump took to social media to praise the development, calling it a “potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine” and highlighting the hundreds of thousands of lives that could be saved.
Putin’s proposal to resume talks without preconditions has been welcomed by Trump, who emphasized the US’s desire to focus on rebuilding and trade. The Russian leader had previously suggested restarting negotiations on May 15 in Istanbul, where talks were last held in 2022. At the time, Moscow claimed that the sides were making progress toward peace and had reached a preliminary draft agreement, but the process was derailed by then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s advice to Kiev to “keep fighting.” Johnson has since denied the claim.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed his readiness to facilitate the meeting, and Putin stressed that Russia has never refused dialogue. However, French President Emmanuel Macron responded to the proposal by calling it “a first step, but not enough” to ensure a path to peace. This comes after the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, Poland, the UK, and the EU proposed a 30-day “full and unconditional” ceasefire, which they believe would “create room for diplomacy.” The US supports this initiative, and several European leaders have threatened to impose new sanctions on Russia if it rejects the ceasefire.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia needs to “think about” the ceasefire proposal, adding that while Putin supports the idea of a ceasefire in general, there are many questions yet to be resolved. Moscow has expressed concerns that Ukraine could use a pause in the fighting to regroup its troops and continue forced mobilization, and has insisted that Western arms shipments must be halted during a ceasefire. In response to the threat of new sanctions from EU nations, Peskov said Russia is “resistant to any kind of pressure.”
As the situation continues to unfold, the international community remains watchful, awaiting the outcome of the proposed negotiations and the potential for a ceasefire. The US’s support for the resumption of talks and the EU’s threat of sanctions have added complexity to the situation, highlighting the delicate balance of international diplomacy at play. With the stakes high and the potential for peace within reach, the world waits with bated breath for the next development in this critical conflict.
