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His comments came after US President Donald Trump insisted Ukraine accept Russia’s latest offer of holding direct talks in Turkey on Thursday. Ukraine, along with European allies, had demanded Russia accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting on Monday before holding talks, but Moscow effectively rejected the proposal and called for direct negotiations instead.
It was not clear if Zelenskyy was conditioning his presence in Turkey on the Monday ceasefire holding.
“Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending ‘bloodbath’ hopefully comes to an end,” Trump wrote. “I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens. The USA wants to focus, instead, on Rebuilding and Trade. A BIG week upcoming!” he added.
In another post on Sunday, the US president said Ukraine should accept Moscow’s offer “to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH.” He added, however, that he was “starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin.”
Putin spoke Sunday to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who expressed readiness to host the talks, the Kremlin said.
According to the Kremlin’s readout of the phone call, Erdogan “fully supported the Russian proposal, emphasising his readiness to provide” a platform for the talks in Istanbul, as well as “all possible assistance in organizing and holding the negotiations aimed at achieving sustainable peace.”
Erdogan also spoke to Macron on Sunday, according to a statement from the Turkish presidential communications office, and said that a “historic turning point” had been reached in efforts to end the war.
Ukraine holds first football tournament for war-wounded amputees
Meanwhile, Russia resumed mass drone attacks in Ukraine early on Sunday, after its self-declared three-day pause expired.
Russia launched 108 attack drones and simulator drones from six different directions, Ukraine’s air force said. It said 60 drones were shot down and another 41 simulator drones failed to reach targets due to Ukrainian countermeasures.
The Russian Defence Ministry on Sunday accused Ukraine of “violating” Moscow’s three-day ceasefire more than 14,000 times.
Ukraine, which did not agree to the May 8-10 ceasefire, has also accused Russia of violating its own truce, with the Ukrainian foreign minister calling it a farce.
