MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday (Might 11) proposed direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on Might 15 that he stated must be aimed toward attaining a sturdy peace and eliminating the basis causes of the battle.
The announcement got here hours after Kyiv and European leaders referred to as for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire to begin Monday.
“We’re decided to have severe negotiations … to get rid of the basis causes of the battle,” Putin instructed reporters in a midnight assertion on the Kremlin.
“We don’t exclude that in these talks we can agree on some new ceasefire,” he added, with out immediately addressing the decision made by the leaders of Ukraine, Britain, France, Germany and Poland for a ceasefire to begin Monday.
“It was not Russia that broke off negotiations in 2022. It was Kyiv. However, we’re proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations with none preconditions,” Putin stated.
“Our proposal, as they are saying, is on the desk, the choice is now as much as the Ukrainian authorities and their curators, who’re guided, it appears, by their private political ambitions, and never by the pursuits of their peoples.”
“We suggest to begin (negotiations) immediately on Thursday Might 15 in Istanbul,” Putin stated, including that he would speak to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogdan quickly to ask his assist to facilitate the talks.
