The Kyiv Independent – > 189
orig date 2025-05-12 19:16:05
22:20 12-05-2025 
'Like a game of tennis' — Russia, Ukraine court Trump to avoid being blamed for peace talks failure
In the middle of the night, Russian President Vladimir Putin gathered Russian state TV to inform them that he is ready to begin direct peace talks with Ukraine on May 15.
A day later, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he'll be waiting for Putin in Turkey.
Both sides have long rejected direct talks, with Ukraine saying that it can't negotiate with a counterpart that constantly breaks agreements it had signed. While it is unclear whether Putin would actually show up to the talks, a source close to the Ukrainian President's Office told the Kyiv Independent that Kyiv is "ready for all options."
Photo: Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images