US President Donald Trump has hailed a ‘potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine’ after Vladimir Putin called for peace talks in a late night TV address.
Last night the Russian President called for direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15, saying the two countries should aim to achieve ‘peace’.
In a rare late-night television address, he said Russia was proposing direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul in an attempt to ‘eliminate the root causes of the conflict’ and ‘to achieve the restoration of a long-term, lasting peace’.
‘It was not Russia that broke off negotiations in 2022. It was Kyiv. Nevertheless, we are proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions,’ Putin said, referring to failed talks shortly after the Russian invasion of 2022.
‘We offer the Kyiv authorities to resume negotiations already on Thursday, in Istanbul,’ Putin said.
‘Our proposal, as they say, is on the table, the decision is now up to the Ukrainian authorities and their curators, who are guided, it seems, by their personal political ambitions, and not by the interests of their peoples.’
This morning President Trump has responded with a post on Truth Social, saying he will continue to work with both sides in the hope of achieving the end of the war.
Mr Trump wrote: ‘A potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine! Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending “bloodbath” hopefully comes to an end. It will be a whole new, and much better, WORLD. I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens. The USA wants to focus, instead, on Rebuilding and Trade. A BIG week upcoming!’
In a rare late-night TV address on Sunday, he said Russia was proposing direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul in an attempt to ‘eliminate the root causes of the conflict’ and ‘to achieve the restoration of a long-term, lasting peace’
Us President Donald Trump hailed a ‘potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with European leaders in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv yesterday
The announcement from the Russian leader comes after a week where the country hosted its Victory Parade, celebrating 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
Guest of honour for the ceremony was China’s President Xi Jinping, who joined Putin for a huge parade through Moscow’s Red Square.
As well as taking part in Victory Day celebrations, the Kremlin said last week that Xi would meet with Putin to discuss ‘further development of relations of comprehensive partnership ad strategic interaction’ and sign a number of bilateral documents.
Upon his arrival Thursday, the Chinese president told Putin that their countries should be ‘friends of steel’ as they pledged to raise cooperation to a new level and ‘decisively’ counter the influence of the United States.
The visit was expected to provide Putin with a boost ahead of increased pressure from the United States to end the war with Ukraine.
However, Putin’s own address to his nation has turned the tables, with peace talks now being suggested by the Russian leader.
Relations between the US and Ukraine have recovered in the past week, after a public clash between Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump saw the vital military aid briefly cut off in March.
The Ukrainian leader was kicked out of the White House during a meeting, after a shouting match erupted inside the Oval Office.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, talk as they watch the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 9, 2025, during celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany during the World War II
President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky’s meeting in the Oval Office became a shouting match
Trump threatened to abandon Ukraine completely if Zelensky did not agree to his peace terms. He also accused Zelensky of not being grateful.
After their meeting, Trump accused the leader of not being ‘ready for peace’.
European leaders including Prime Minister Keir Starmer came to Zelensky’s defence and the relationship between the two countries appears to have been patched up.
On Thursday Zelensky said he told Trump in a telephone call that a 30-day ceasefire would be a ‘real indicator’ of progress towards peace with Russia, and that Kyiv was ready to implement it immediately.
And Trump wrote on Truth Social overnight: ‘The US calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. If the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions.’
