Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited Ukraine to take part in “direct talks” on May 15, hours after European leaders urged Moscow to agree to a 30-day ceasefire. In a rare televised late-night address from the Kremlin, Putin said Russia was seeking “serious negotiations” aimed at “moving towards a lasting, strong peace”.

The proposed talks should be held in the Turkish city of Istanbul, Putin said, adding that he would speak to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday to discuss the details. “We are proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions,” Putin said.

European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, and Poland’s Donald Tusk, visited Ukraine on Saturday, calling for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting Monday. “We have agreed that from Monday, May 12, a full and unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days should start,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The leaders warned that “new and massive” sanctions would be imposed on Russia’s energy and banking sectors if Putin doesn’t agree to the ceasefire. Sir Keir later told the BBC that US President Donald Trump was “absolutely clear” that their suggestion of an immediate ceasefire was a “demand that must be met”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow would “have to think this through” but warned that “trying to pressure us is quite useless”. Putin accused Ukraine of repeatedly failing to respond to multiple ceasefire proposals from Moscow and claimed that Kyiv had broken off negotiations in 2022.

Trump described Putin’s announcement as a “potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine”, saying, “It will be a whole new, and much better world.” He added that he would “continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens”.

The Ukrainian capital played host to European leaders on Saturday, who expressed their support for Ukraine. Zelensky thanked the assembled leaders for “standing with” Ukraine, saying, “Today we will focus on how to build and guarantee real and lasting security”.