Russia has launched more than 100 Shahed and Lure drones in Ukraine During the night attacks, the Ukrainian Air Force said on Monday, after the Kremlin actually rejected an unconditional cease-fire of 30 days in the war of more than three years, but reiterated that it would participate in possible peace talks later this week without pre-rod.
There was no direct response from the Kremlin, on the challenge of the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the Russian leader Vladimir Putin to meet him for face -to -face talks in Turkey on Thursday.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused on Monday to say who could go to Istanbul on the Russian side.
“Overall, we are determined to seriously seek ways to reach a long -term peaceful regulation. That’s it,” said Peskov.
The United States and European governments make a concerted push to stop fighting, which killed tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides, as well as more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians. Russia’s invasion forces have taken about a fifth from Ukraine in the largest European conflict since the Second World War.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he was optimistic about Istanbul talks. There is “the potential of a good meeting” between Putin and Zelenskyy, Trump told Washington, adding that he was “thinking of flying over” the talks of his visit to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates that day.
Zelenskyy supported the prospect that Trump attended negotiations. “I supported President Trump with the idea of direct talks with Putin. I openly expressed my desire to meet,” he said. “And of course, we all in Ukraine will appreciate if President Trump could be there with us at this meeting in Türkiye.”
In a wave of diplomatic developments during the weekend, Russia avoided the cease-fire proposal filed by American and European leaders, but gave direct talks with Ukraine on Thursday.
Ukraine, as well as the European allies, had demanded that Russia accept a cease-fire from Monday before holding peace talks. Moscow actually rejected this proposal and rather called for direct negotiations in Istanbul.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that he had discussed Russo-Ukrainian peace efforts in separate calls with Zelenskyy, Putin and Trump.
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Erdogan said that “a new window of opportunity appeared for peace” and said that the previous discussions organized by Turkey in 2022 have come closer but were derailed by “war barons”.
“We support the determination of my dear friend Trump to resolve active conflicts by dialogue and diplomacy,” he said.
West increases Putin pressure
President Donald Trump insisted that Ukraine accepts the Russian offer of talks. Zelenskyy went further Sunday and put pressure on Putin by offering a personal meeting.
France added its voice to this offer on Monday, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean -No BARROS, urging Putin to accept – although Barrot has repeated the European position that a truce must be in place before the talks.
Russia’s inability to join the ceasefire offered by Ukraine would bring new sanctions to Moscow, say European leaders. Germany recalled this intention to Russia on Monday.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Krister, who met British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday, said pressure on Russia increased.
“Everyone wants peace now. Ukraine wants peace, Europe wants peace, the United States wants peace,” he told the Associated Press during an interview in London. “Now Russia must decide, whether they also want peace or not, an unconditional ceasefire.”
Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said that giving Ultimatums to Russia was “unacceptable” and would not work. “You cannot speak to Russia in this language,” he told journalists.
Also on Monday, British Foreign Minister David Lammy welcomed senior diplomatic officials from London in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Poland and the European Union to discuss the best way to fight Russian aggression.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said he expected the two parties to reach a compromise in the coming days that could break the dead end to find out if the talks could start without a truce in place.
Russian and Ukrainian officials are aware of public opinion in their country and are trying to obtain support from the United States for its positions, he said, explaining the delay.
Ukrainians react to the prospects for peace
In Kyiv, the residents expressed a mixture of hope and discouragement to the last peace efforts.
Putin does not want a truce to interrupt the war because “it means he lost,” Antonina Metko told 43 years old, to the Associated Press. “This is why they postpone it. And everything will continue in the same way. Unfortunately.”
Vladyslav Nehrybetskyi, 72, was more optimistic, saying that “the seeds” of a peace agreement are sown, even if “a difficult process” awaits us. “So hope.”
The government of Ukraine has tried to maintain the momentum for a peace agreement created by the Trump administration.
“Ukraine wants to end this war and do everything for that,” said Zelenskyy on Telegram on Monday. “We expect appropriate steps in Russia.”
The Ukrainian chief said that he had spoken to Pope Leo for peace efforts during his first telephone conversation with the new pontiff.
Ukraine has the Vatican help to ensure the return of thousands of children who, according to the government, were expelled by Russia, said Zelenskyy, adding that he had invited the Pope to visit Ukraine.
During his first Sunday noon blessing as a pontiff, Leo called for a real and just peace in Ukraine.
“I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people,” he said.
In 2022, in the first months of the war, Zelenskyy called on a personal meeting several times with Putin but was postponed, and finally promulgated a decree declaring that the holding of negotiations with him had become impossible.
Putin and Zelenskyy only met once, in 2019. Trump says that a “deep hatred” between the parties made it difficult to advance peace efforts.
The writers of the associated press Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Danica Kirka in London, Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Türkiye, and Geir Moulson in Berlin, contributed.