Kyiv: Since Türkiye has been suggested as the location for talks between Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested US President Donald Trump to find a way to go there. The Ukrainian president said in a video message that he is prepared to go to Türkiye for the negotiations.

Zelenskyy also said that “Russian shelling and assaults continue” in the message that was uploaded on X. He expressed his hope that the US president will support the meeting and find a way to participate, pointing out that Ukraine is a proponent of diplomacy.

“Diplomacy has always been supported by Ukraine. I’m prepared to go to Türkiye. Regretfully, Russia has yet to provide the world with a definitive answer to the various ceasefire initiatives.

“Russian attacks and shelling are still ongoing. All day, Moscow has said nothing in response to the direct meeting suggestion. An odd quiet. Russia will have to put a stop to this conflict sooner rather than later. There’s no use in carrying on the murder.

“President Erdogan has said that he is completely prepared to host the gathering. President Trump’s full support for the conference is crucial, and we hope he will find a way to visit Türkiye.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged for direct negotiations with Ukraine to begin immediately, as early as May 15th, in Istanbul on Sunday. Putin emphasized that the negotiations should proceed “without any preconditions” and that Turkey, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, should once again be the host in a televised speech released by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“We suggest the authorities in Kyiv resume direct talks, which they themselves interrupted in 2022,” Putin said. “We propose to start the talks without delay, next week, on May 15, in Istanbul.” Putin went into greater detail about the location, saying, “We propose to begin immediately on next Thursday, May 15, in Istanbul, and I’m referring to direct talks without any preconditions.” the location where they were previously kept. President Erdogan has done a lot to arrange these discussions in the past, and it is generally known that Turkish colleagues organized—well, offered their services to organize—such conferences.

“As a result of those talks back then, a draft of a joint agreement was prepared and initialed by the head of the Kiev negotiating teams, but upon the behest of the West, it was thrown into the little bin,” Putin said, recalling earlier discussions. He suggested that the advancements achieved during those sessions had been hampered by Western influence.

There has been a great deal of economic damage and human suffering as a consequence of the protracted war between Russia and Ukraine.

One of the most destructive wars in Europe is the Russia-Ukraine war, which is now in its third year after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.