MOSCOW (Realist English). The Russian president has rejected a Western ultimatum calling for an unconditional ceasefire and instead proposed direct peace talks with the Kyiv regime to be held in Istanbul on May 15. He stated that Russia is open to negotiations without any preconditions.
“Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions. There is a war going on, and we are offering talks — what’s wrong with that?” he said during a late-night address on May 11 following a four-day series of international meetings marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in World War II.
Earlier, the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, and Poland arrived in Kyiv by train and, alongside Volodymyr Zelensky, demanded that Russia implement a full ceasefire by Monday—across land, air, and sea. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that failure to comply would trigger increased sanctions and military support. “If Putin rejects peace — we will respond,” Starmer declared during a joint press conference.
U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed the ceasefire call but refrained from directly pressuring Moscow. Speaking from the Oval Office, he simply said, “End this stupid war,” without assigning blame. The White House did not publish a transcript of his conversations with European leaders.
Russia’s proposal for Istanbul-hosted negotiations drew sharp criticism from French President Emmanuel Macron, who dismissed it as “insufficient.” Macron insisted that a ceasefire must come before talks, not as a result of them. “Putin is just trying to buy time,” he said.
Rejecting the ceasefire ultimatum, the Russian president stated: “No conditions can be imposed on us. Talks are possible — but only without blackmail.” He also reminded that Russia had unilaterally declared ceasefires three times — during March, Easter, and May 9 — all of which were ignored by Kyiv:
- The Easter ceasefire was violated over 5,000 times.
- On May 9 alone, 524 drones were launched at Russian territory.
- During the Victory Day weekend, 41 attacks were recorded, including attempted incursions into Kursk and Belgorod regions.
The president confirmed Russia’s readiness for May 15 talks in Istanbul, with Turkey acting as a neutral host. He thanked Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his efforts and expressed hope that Ankara could once again mediate. He also recalled that in 2022, the two sides had initialed a peace draft, which Kyiv later abandoned under Western pressure.
Additional signals:
- U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who has previously criticized aid to Kyiv, admitted that Russia’s demands are “excessive.”
- The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv issued a warning about a possible large-scale Russian airstrike.
- Russia has closed airspace over the Kapustin Yar test range for May 13–14 — potentially indicating upcoming weapons tests or strikes.
Key points:
• Russia has officially rejected the Western ceasefire ultimatum and instead proposed peace talks in Istanbul.
• Western leaders insist on a complete cessation of hostilities before any dialogue — Moscow argues this reverses the natural order of negotiations.
• The U.S. is taking a wait-and-see approach, avoiding direct condemnation while remaining involved in coordination efforts.
• The Kyiv regime has not responded to Moscow’s offer, despite its stated openness to a ceasefire.
The West demands peace — but only on its terms. Moscow is offering dialogue — but from a position of parity. May 15 will be a litmus test: is Kyiv willing to resume talks it abandoned under Western instruction in 2022? If not, the real obstacle to ending the war will be plain to see.
