Wafric News – May 11, 2025

In a significant diplomatic shift, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia is ready for direct peace talks with Ukraine, proposing Istanbul as the venue for negotiations set to begin on May 15, without preconditions.

Speaking in a rare late-night televised address, Putin called for “serious negotiations” aimed at addressing the root causes of the war and paving the way for a long-term, stable peace. “We are prepared to begin immediately,” he said. “These talks should resume where they were previously held and interrupted — in Istanbul.”

Putin’s proposal came just hours after leaders from Germany, France, the UK, and Poland visited Kyiv to stand beside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, urging Moscow to agree to a 30-day ceasefire starting the following Monday. French President Emmanuel Macron warned that failure to comply could trigger “massive sanctions.”

The ceasefire call is also backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, who joined European leaders in a joint phone call prior to the announcement. Later on Sunday, Trump posted on Truth Social, describing it as a “potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine,” and pledging continued mediation. “Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved,” he said, emphasizing the human cost of the ongoing war.

Despite the diplomatic overture, the Kremlin remains cautious. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia is open to the idea of a ceasefire “in general” but stressed that “many questions remain unanswered.” He added that “Europe is openly confronting us,” and reiterated Russia’s resistance to outside pressure.

Peskov also suggested that Western calls for a truce could be seen as a tactic to allow Ukraine to rearm. Putin echoed this concern, warning that the proposed peace effort must not become a “pause” for military regrouping and further escalation. “We are not talking about a truce that serves as a smokescreen for trench digging,” Putin said.

Putin emphasized that the decision now rests with Ukrainian authorities, insisting that Russia has not turned away from dialogue. Talks between the two countries have been dormant since the early months of Russia’s invasion in 2022.

The Russian leader said he plans to consult with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has previously facilitated mediation efforts, to revive talks in Istanbul.

President Trump has made ending the war a central goal since returning to office in January. His administration has invested heavily in diplomacy, sending special envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow on four occasions for meetings with Putin. Yet despite offering significant concessions, Russia has not signed off on even the limited 30-day ceasefire proposal, which was intended to open the door to more comprehensive peace negotiations.

Frustration is beginning to show. In a post earlier last week, Trump warned that if the ceasefire is violated, the U.S. and its allies would respond with additional sanctions.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has threatened to withdraw from mediation efforts altogether if Russia fails to show progress toward ending hostilities.

Still, Peskov acknowledged the U.S. role in recent efforts, telling CNN on Saturday that Moscow is “grateful” for Washington’s involvement—but warned that pressure would not move the Kremlin. “It is quite useless to try to press on us,” he said.

With both sides entrenched and diplomacy walking a narrow path, global hopes for de-escalation remain cautious. While Putin’s call for direct talks could be seen as a breakthrough, the underlying mistrust, strategic interests, and unresolved issues suggest that the path to peace is still fraught with uncertainty.

For nations across Africa and the Global South, where the Ukraine war has triggered food supply shocks and driven up fuel prices, a potential ceasefire offers hope — but also demands real commitment, not just rhetoric, from both sides.


BY WafricNews Desk.