President of Ukraine agreed: Putin and Zelensky face to face?

"We expect a cease-fire from tomorrow - complete and permanent, in order to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey. Personally, I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses" said Zelensky.

As a reminder, Russian President Vladimir Putin previously proposed that on May 15, direct talks between the representatives of Russia and Ukraine on a ceasefire be held in Istanbul.

"We suggest that the Kyiv authorities continue the negotiations that they interrupted at the end of 2022, continue direct negotiations, without any preconditions. We suggest that they begin without delay next Thursday, May 15, in Istanbul, where they were previously held and where they were interrupted," Putin said in an address to the media.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in a telephone conversation today that Turkey is ready to host negotiations on a ceasefire and permanent peace between Russia and Ukraine, Erdogan's cabinet announced.

He stated that a historic milestone has been reached on the way to ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, that this opportunity should be used, and that Turkey is ready to provide every contribution, including the organization of negotiations, in order to ensure a cease-fire and lasting peace, according to a statement from the office of the Turkish president.