I will personally wait for Putin in Istanbul on May 15 — Zelensky

Zelensky made this statement on his Telegram channel, writing, "I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey. Personally. I hope that this time, the Russians will not look for excuses." 

Additionally, the president emphasized that a complete ceasefire should begin today, May 12, stating, "There is no benefit in continuing the bloodshed." However, Zelensky did not clarify in his latest statement whether Moscow should announce a 30-day ceasefire, as previously demanded by Kyiv. 

Shortly before, U.S. President Donald Trump called on President Putin to immediately agree to direct talks in Istanbul on May 15. 

Trump believes that during this meeting, Ukraine could find out whether a deal is possible, and if not, European and U.S. leaders would gain a clear understanding of the current stage of the conflict and would be able to act accordingly. 

Earlier, Ukraine and its European allies, including Germany and France, set a 30-day ceasefire as a mandatory condition for talks, in response to President Putin's proposal to hold direct negotiations in Turkey on May 15 without preconditions.