Overview

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has agreed to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul on May 15 but continues to demand a full ceasefire starting May 12.
• Putin has rejected the ceasefire precondition, proposing direct talks without preconditions to address the 'root causes' of the conflict.
• European leaders, including Macron, Starmer, and Merz, visited Kyiv to back Ukraine’s call for a 30-day unconditional truce and threatened increased sanctions on Russia for noncompliance.
• U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to proceed with talks immediately, diverging from European allies’ emphasis on a ceasefire first.
• Hostilities have resumed with Russia launching over 100 drones into Ukraine after a brief self-declared pause, highlighting ongoing violence despite diplomatic overtures.