Putin proposes Ukraine resume peace talks "without preconditions" on May 15.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that he does not rule out extending the three-day ceasefire declared on May 7 to mark Victory Day, but has clarified that this decision will depend on the attitude of the Ukrainian authorities , whom he has urged to engage in direct, unconditional negotiations starting May 15.

"We have declared a ceasefire for the third time on this holy holiday for us (...). In the future, we do not rule out the possibility of extending its validity. But, of course, after analyzing what will happen in the coming days, depending on how the Kiev regime reacts to our proposal," Putin said in a statement without questions before Russian and international media in the Kremlin.

Along these lines, he denounced the fact that the Kiev authorities not only "failed to respond at all" to Moscow's ceasefire proposal, but also "launched large-scale attacks on May 6 and 7" following Russia's unilateral announcement.

"Russia has repeatedly put forward initiatives for a ceasefire . However, these initiatives have been repeatedly sabotaged by the Ukrainian side," Putin added, as reported by the Russian news agency Tass.

As an example, the Russian head of state cited the case of the truce in force during Easter , a day on which Ukrainian forces reportedly violated the ceasefire "almost 5,000 times," according to Kremlin data.

Thus, the Russian leader has proposed beginning the dialogue process "without delay" next Thursday, May 15, in the Turkish capital, Istanbul, "where negotiations were held and where they broke off." "We have repeatedly proposed measures for a ceasefire. We have never refused to engage in dialogue with the Ukrainian side," he added.

Pending an official response from the Ukrainian government , Putin expressed optimism and assured that relations between the Russian Federation and European countries will be restored sooner or later.

"We hope that, based on the lessons of history and the opinions of our peoples, we will begin to move toward restoring constructive relations with European countries. Including those who, even today, continue to abandon their anti-Russian rhetoric and their clearly aggressive actions against us, and who continue to try, as we see right now, to speak to us, essentially, in a rude manner and with the help of ultimatums," he continued.

In this context, Putin did not want to miss the opportunity to thank his "foreign friends" for their "efforts" to resolve the Ukrainian conflict during the negotiations and meetings held in Moscow.

These statements come hours after the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland called on the Russian president—from Kiev—to finally accept their ceasefire proposal: a 30-day cessation of hostilities as a confidence-building measure with a view to opening firm negotiations to end the war.

The European leaders' proposal was supported by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, who held a phone call with the Kiev group.

For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that he is willing to begin direct negotiations with Russia as long as his counterpart, Vladimir Putin, announces a "comprehensive, lasting, and reliable" ceasefire, beginning this Monday, May 12.

Hours after Putin suggested resuming talks next Thursday, Zelensky considered it a "positive sign" that "the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war." "There is no reason to continue killing for a single day longer," he warned.

According to the Ukrainian leader, "everyone" has been waiting "for a long time" for Moscow to consider ending the conflict, although he noted that "the first step to ending any war is a ceasefire," implying that without it, there will be no negotiations in Istanbul.

For his part, US President Donald Trump welcomed Russia's proposal to negotiate directly with Ukraine to bring the "massacre to an end" and called the day a "potentially great day."

Putin has urged Ukrainian authorities to begin direct, unconditional negotiations starting May 15 in Istanbul, Turkey.

"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved when, hopefully, this endless slaughter comes to an end," Donald Trump said on his Truth Social account.

Likewise, the American president confirmed that he will continue "working with both sides" to ensure a ceasefire is reached, after which "the world" will be "completely new and much better."

Finally, he played down the issue, stating that the United States "wants to focus instead on reconstruction and trade" since "a big week is coming up."

Vladimir Putin has also left open the possibility of extending the ceasefire that ended this Saturday, although he has clarified that this decision will depend on the attitude of the Ukrainian authorities.

Hours earlier, the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland asked the Russian president to accept their ceasefire proposal: a 30-day cessation of hostilities as a confidence-building measure with a view to opening firm negotiations to end the war.

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that Russia's proposal to negotiate directly with Ukraine is "a first step," but "not enough." Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump welcomed the Russian president's offer, calling it a "potentially great day."

Macron does not trust the Russian leader's intentions and has stated that he is "looking for a way out, but still wants to buy time." "This is unacceptable for the Ukrainians , as they cannot accept parallel talks while they continue to be bombed," he told the media from Poland in statements reported by the French newspaper Le Monde.

The French president also vowed to remain "firm" in his position "together with the Americans" and ensure that the ceasefire in Ukraine is "unconditional." "Then we can discuss the rest," he asserted.

Meanwhile, the Hungarian government has canceled a meeting scheduled for Monday with Ukraine to discuss the situation of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, a new setback that comes two days after the two countries exchanged accusations of espionage.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Justice announced on social media this Sunday the cancellation of the meeting, which was supposed to mark the start of a new regular dialogue process . Budapest has repeatedly complained about the treatment of the Hungarian population in Ukraine, mostly concentrated in the border region of Transcarpathia.

Ukrainian authorities announced on Friday the arrest in this region of two people accused of spying for Hungarian military intelligence, seeking possible gaps in defense systems and gauging public opinion ahead of a potential deployment of troops from the neighboring country.

The Hungarian government moved quickly to address these suspicions, responding by expelling two more alleged spies linked to the Ukrainian Embassy in Kyiv , in a new chapter of political tension between the two sides. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who maintains ties with Russia despite the conflict, has criticized, among other things, Ukraine's potential accession to the EU.