Ukrainian president welcomes Russian overtures, but says ceasefire must come before peace talks

EU leaders to assess Putin's position in talks with NATO, Ukraine chiefs

Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he is pleased to see that Russia is finally engaging with finding an end to the war, but there must be a ceasefire before peace talks can start.

Calling it a “positive sign,” he said that “the entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in remarks to the media overnight effectively rejected the ceasefire proposal and proposed restarting direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul May 15 instead.

AP

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