Unmedcuto a weekend of European diplomacy, President Trump on Sunday imply Ukraine to accept a Russian proposal for direct interviews rather than insisting first on a ceased the fire-as had been defined in a plan announced a day before by the European leaders during a visit to Kyiv.
The leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland had set an deadline for Monday for Russia to accept a ceased for the 30-day fire initially proposed by the Trump-o administration faces further penalties.
When President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia made a back -off of direct interviews, without mentioning a ceasefire, France and Germany rejected the proposal. Mr. Trump's correspondent in Ukraine in the talks, General Keith Kellogg, also did on Sunday, said Russia should have stopped hostilities as the first step in negotiations.
But Mr. Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social that “the president Putin of Russia does not want to have a fire agreement with Ukraine”. The Russian leader wrote, instead he wanted the direct interviews to be hosted by Türkiye. “Ukraine should agree with this, immediately,” Trump wrote.
At the beginning of the day, Mr. Zelensky responded with caution to the Russian counter -confession of direct interviews, insisting again to stop the fighting. After Mr. Trump's post, Zelensky added a new turning point to diplomatic brinkmanship, saying that he would personally participate in negotiations. Putin, suggesting direct interviews, had not proposed a presidential meeting.
Mr. Zelensky's declaration in an X post did not clarify if his participation would depend on Russia for the first time that he accepted a ceasefire, but asked for 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 are not looking for apologies.”
The burst of exchanges came hours after Mr. Putin actually rejected the expiry of the ceased on Monday and instead proposed that the direct interviews between representatives of the two countries take place on Thursday in Istanbul.
Before establishing the expiry of Monday and threatening further penalties, European leaders had Speaking with Mr. Trump by phone from Kiev Saturday. They said that the United States would also impose penalties for Russia if Putin had not accepted a respite.
In supporting the Russian countercapper of the interviews in Istanbul, Trump wrote: “At least they will be able to determine if an agreement is possible and, otherwise, European leaders and the United States will know where everything is found and can proceed accordingly”.
Since she started efforts to end the war in Ukraine three months ago, the Trump administration has aligned with Russia with one vote in the United Nations on the war and has resumed wider diplomatic ties with Moscow. Existing economic penalties remained in place but has not increased the pressure with further restrictions, even if Putin has shown a few signs to bring back to war.
The civil victims have arisen since the Trump administration began fire interviews, compared to the same period of a year ago, according to the United Nations. Ukraine agreed in March an American proposal for a ceased to meet the unconditional fire.
In addition to the request for direct speeches by Putin, the Cremlin spokesman said Russia on Saturday would accept a truce only if Western governments had stopped providing weapons of Ukraine.
President Emmanuel Macron in France called the response of insufficient Russia, saying that he left Ukrainian who was “a first step but not enough”. Macron said that Mr. Putin was blocking himself with his counter -commission of direct interviews and “wants to buy time”.
In a Sunday declaration, the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, supported Mr. Zelensky that Russia agrees the fire with a cease before the direct interviews could begin.
“If the Russian part now reports the will to speak, this is initially a good sign,” said Merz. “But it is far from sufficient. We expect Moscow that you now accept a ceased the fire that can make possible real speeches. The guns must first be silent before the interviews can start.”
The European leaders who visited Kyiv on Saturday were clear that only an unconditional fire would be in agreement would have spared additional penalties in Moscow aimed at oil exports and banking activities.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye spoke with Putin and told him that he was willing to host discussions between Russia and Ukraine, according to a declaration of the Turkish presidency. Erdogan said that a ceased fire could lead to a lasting agreement to end the war.
The Kremlin declared a three -day unilateral respite last week around the celebration of the country for the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. The Ukrainian army confirmed that most of the long -haul strikes had stopped at that time, but fighting along the front they continued without pause.
Russia has resumed its long -hauling attacks on Ukraine on Sunday night. From midnight to midday on Sunday, the Russian forces launched 108 Shad drones designed by Iran, said the Ukrainian Air Force, triggering air alarm in different cities.
Erica L. GreenAnastasia Kuznietsova and Clay Risen contributed to reporting.