‘It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war,’ Zelenskyy said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 11, welcoming his call for peace talks between the two nations, but insisted a full, temporary cease-fire must be in place before negotiations begin.
“It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on social media platform X. “The entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire.”
On Sunday, Russia resumed mass drone attacks on Ukraine, capping the end of its self-declared 3-day pause in fighting.
Ukraine’s Air Force said on Sunday that Russia had launched 108 attack drones and simulator drones from six different locations, with 60 drones shot down and another 41 simulator drones failing to hit their targets following Ukrainian countermeasures.
Both nations have accused one another of violating the three-day cease-fire, with the Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday claiming Ukraine had done so 14,000 times. Ukraine also accused Russia of violating the truce, and the Ukrainian foreign minister called it a farce.
Ukraine had not agreed to the May 8–10 cease-fire that Russia unilaterally declared and accused Russia of constantly violating it.
Zelenskyy highlighted a proposal to begin a 30-day unconditional cease-fire on Monday, saying he expects Putin to commit to a “full, lasting, and reliable” cease-fire by May 12, and “Ukraine is ready to meet.”
It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war. The entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 11, 2025
There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single…
“There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day,” Zelenskyy said.
While speaking to the media early on Sunday, Putin called for resuming direct peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday “without any preconditions,” during which a cease-fire could be negotiated.
Meanwhile, the leaders from four major European nations are threatening to raise pressure on Moscow if it does not agree to an unconditional 30-day cease-fire in Ukraine, joining together on Saturday in a show of unity for Kyiv.
“We reiterate our backing for President Trump’s calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace,” the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom said in a joint statement. “Alongside the U.S., we call on Russia to agree to a full and unconditional 30-day cease-fire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.”
By Jacob Burg
