Putin Proposes May 15 Peace Talks With Ukraine in Istanbul, Blames West for 2022 Breakdown

Russia offers direct, precondition-free negotiations as Putin accuses Kyiv of rejecting ceasefire efforts and succumbing to Western pressure.

May 11, 2025: In a fresh attempt to end the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed direct peace talks with Ukraine, suggesting a meeting on May 15 in Istanbul. Putin emphasized that Russia is open to dialogue without preconditions and blamed Kyiv and Western powers for derailing previous negotiations.

“Despite everything, we offer the Kyiv authorities to resume negotiations already on Thursday, in Istanbul,” said Putin, reiterating that Moscow was not the party that broke off peace talks in 2022.

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The Russian President claimed that a draft agreement had been reached and initialed by Ukraine’s negotiation team at the time, but it was discarded under Western influence. “Let me remind you that a joint draft document was prepared and initialed by the head of the Kyiv negotiating group, but at the insistence of the West, it was thrown into the trash,” he said.

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Putin also stated that Russia has made multiple ceasefire offers, none of which have received any official response from Kyiv. He added that during a recent three-day ceasefire window, Ukrainian forces allegedly launched five attacks on the Russian border.

With tensions continuing along key frontlines and international efforts at mediation stalling, Putin’s offer may reignite speculation over the possibility of renewed diplomacy — although Ukrainian and Western leaders have yet to formally respond to the invitation.

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Russia Ukraine war, Vladimir Putin peace offer, Istanbul peace talks, Russia ceasefire offer, Ukraine negotiations, Russia-West conflict, Kyiv response to Putin, 2022 peace deal Russia Ukraine