Putin requires ‘direct talks’ with Ukraine to make ‘lasting, robust peace’ in uncommon late-night TV deal with from the Kremlin… hours after Keir Starmer threatened Russia with sanctions

Vladimir Putin has called for direct talks with Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul that he said should be aimed at achieving a ‘peace’ just hours after Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatened Russia with sanctions.

Putin sent thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, triggering the gravest confrontation between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

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’.

‘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.’

It comes after Sir Keir Starmer ‘called Putin out’ and demanded ‘no ifs or buts’ as he joined world leaders in cranking up pressure on Russia to accept a ceasefire in Ukraine.

The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland arrived in Kyiv on Saturday for talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky in a show of unity of the ‘coalition of the willing’, a day after Putin hosted his allies for a Red Square Victory Day parade.

Speaking in a press conference alongside his European counterparts, Sir Keir said Europe is ‘stepping up’ on the 80th anniversary of VE day to secure Ukraine’s long-term future – after Putin called a three-day ceasefire for his Moscow event.

‘Volodymyr, we stand with you to secure the just and lasting peace that Ukraine deserves,’ the PM said.

‘It’s almost two months now since you agreed to an immediate 30 day ceasefire. In that time, Russia has launched some of the most deadly attacks on civilians of the entire war, including here in Kyiv. Normal lives, homes, families, destroyed.

‘This is what Russia offers in place of peace along with delays, smoke screens, like the current 72 hour ceasefire. And so all of us here together with the US are calling Putin out. 

‘If he’s serious about peace then he has a chance to show it now. By extending the VE day pause into a full unconditional 30 day ceasefire, with negotiations to follow immediately after a ceasefire is agreed.

‘No more ifs and buts, no more conditions and delays. Putin didn’t need conditions when he wanted a ceasefire to have a parade. And he doesn’t need them now. Ukraine has shown the willingness to engage again and again, but again and again Putin has refused.’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also accused Putin of using a ‘fake ceasefire’ to enable the Russian parade to take place – as the Russians told the west to ‘shove those peace plans up your pangender arses’.

The visit by British Prime Minister Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled together to Ukraine.

It is also the first time a meeting of global leaders is being held in the country since the outbreak of war after the Russian invasion in February 2022. 

Posting after the summit, President Zelensky said on X the three-day ceasefire talked about by Putin is ‘fake’.

‘Why fake? The attacks on the front line continue. And Russian assaults are ongoing. They haven’t stopped using aerial bombs against our front line positions and border communities.

‘But there were no air raid alerts, which only proves again: when Moscow does not want to kill, they can stop.’ 

Starmer told reporters: ‘[There is a] lesson that any veteran of Normandy of Africa or any other campaign will tell you, but that Putin has not yet grasped.

‘There is no glory in aggression or conquest. Glory comes from fighting for your country, defending your people and winning the peace. And that is the message of this moment.’

The summit discussed a US and European proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the Russian war in Ukraine that, if refused by Moscow, would see them jointly impose new sanctions, a French diplomatic source said.

But Russia dismissed the summit – as Putin crony Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of the Russian security council and ex-Russian president, said: ‘Macron, Merz, Starmer and Tusk were supposed to discuss peace in Kyiv.

‘Instead they are blurting out threats against Russia. Either a truce for the respite of Banderite horses or new sanctions.

‘You think that’s smart, eh? Shove these peace plans up you pangender arses!’

The leaders visited a war memorial in Independence Square before holding a meeting to discuss peace efforts, in which US President Donald Trump dialed in too. 

The leaders updated Trump on the progress made on the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’ plans for Ukraine in the unplanned call, lasted around 20 minutes and was described as ‘warm’ by a UK source.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter on Saturday Sir Keir said: ‘Russia must agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. 

‘Every step we take towards that is another step towards security and prosperity in the UK.’

During talks on Saturday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, announced that Ukraine and its European allies are ready to implement a ‘full, unconditional’ ceasefire as early as Monday.

Mr Sybiha said in his X post that ‘Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday’. 

President Zelensky added on X, formerly Twitter: ‘We held a five-party meeting in Kyiv with European leaders — Ukraine, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland. 

‘It is especially meaningful that they are together in Kyiv, in Ukraine, on these very days — as this week, in Europe, we honor the victors over Nazism and celebrate Europe Day. 

‘All of this is about values and respect for human life, and therefore about security. It is security that we have been discussing today. 

‘We all agree that there must be a ceasefire — full, unconditional and lasting long enough to make real diplomacy possible. We all agree that the war must end with a dignified peace. 

‘We are working together to guarantee security — long-term and reliable. Thank you for your support.

The US this morning warned that Putin is feared to be plotting an attack on the Ukrainian capital while the leaders are in attendance. 

American officials issued a public warning, which read: ‘The US Embassy in Kyiv has received information concerning a potentially significant air attack that may occur at any time over the next several days.

‘The Embassy, as always, recommends US citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced.’

Starmer, Macron and Merz earlier all travelled to Ukraine together by train. 

‘Alongside the U.S., we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace,’ the four leaders said in a joint statement.

Their statement continued: ‘We are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal.

‘We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come’.

‘We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine. Until Russia agrees to an enduring ceasefire, we will ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine.’

The visit comes at an unpredictable diplomatic moment in the war against Ukraine as US President Donald Trump is pushing for a rapid peace after tearing up the policies of his predecessor since entering the White House in January.

After engaging directly with Russian officials, clashing publicly with Zelensky and briefly cutting vital military aid to Ukraine, the Trump administration has patched up ties with Kyiv and signed an arduously-negotiated mineral resources deal.

There has also been a palpable shift in tone from Trump, who has signalled growing frustration with Putin’s foot-dragging over a ceasefire and Russia’s restatement of its demands for a settlement.

Trump has threatened to step up sanctions against Russia but he has also said he could abandon the peace effort altogether if there is no breakthrough. He called on Thursday for a 30-day ceasefire and Zelensky said he would be ready to implement it immediately. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Friday that Russia supports the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire in the conflict, but only with due consideration of ‘nuances’.

Putin hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders at a Red Square military parade on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. 

In a speech at the event, Putin compared the Second World War to his ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine and said Russia ‘was and will be an indestructible barrier against Nazism, Russophobia, antisemitism’. 

On the same day, European ministers voiced support for a special tribunal to prosecute the Russian president and his officials for crimes of aggression, showing support for Zelensky who on Thursday poured scorn on Putin for planning a ‘parade of bile and lies’.

On the eve of the summit, the US embassy in Kyiv warned of a ‘potentially significant’ air attack in the coming days and told its citizens to be ready to seek shelter in the event of air raid sirens.

‘There is a lot of work to do, a lot of topics to discuss. We must end this war with a just peace. We must force Moscow to agree to a ceasefire,’ said Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, posting photographs welcoming the leaders off the train.

The four visitors will met Zelensky on Saturday morning and are also expected to pay their respects at a memorial in central Kyiv to honour Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war.

The visit falls on the final day of a May 8-10 ceasefire declared by Putin that Ukraine did not accept, denouncing it as a sham. Both sides have accused each other of violating it.

Zelensky said on Thursday 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.’

Since Trump took office in January, Putin has teased negotiators with suggestions he would accept a ceasefire – but his troops have continued to advance into the Ukrainian province of Dnipro.

Last month the Russian president announced a 30-hour truce to mark Easter, although sporadic fighting continued.

The French diplomatic source said work had not been completed on the proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, but that the US and European allies hoped they were ‘at a moment of convergence’.

‘What could happen in the coming hours and days, there could be an announcement of a ceasefire either of 30 days or compartmentalized, which is still being discussed,’ the source said.

Merz, who became Germany’s chancellor this week, said on Friday that the ball was now in Moscow’s court.

‘It is solely there that the decision will be made as to whether there is a chance, starting this coming weekend – that is, at the beginning of next week – to enable a longer ceasefire in Ukraine,’ he said.