Merz says Putin’s peace talks proposal falls short – DW – 05/11/2025

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Russia’s willingness to talk is “positive sign” but “far from sufficient” in comments made after returning from his first trip to Kyiv.

Merz said that European allies were backing a 30-day truce, which “Ukraine agreed to without reservation.”

“We expect Moscow to agree to a ceasefire that allows real talks to take place. First the weapons must be silenced, then the discussions can begin,” the new conservative leader said in a statement posted on social media platform X.

Merz was responding to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offer to hold direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey from Thursday.

Ukraine allies set ultimatum for 30-day ceasefire

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that Ankara is ready to host the negotiations for a ceasefire and permanent peace between Russia and Ukraine, the Turkish leader’s office said.

Erdogan also told Macron that a “historic turning point” has been reached in the efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The two leaders held a phone call on Sunday, Erdogan’s office said. 

Russia’s defense ministry said Ukraine had violated the three-day ceasefire, unilaterally declared by Moscow, 14,043 times, according to state news agency TASS.

Russia says Ukraine’s military tried to breach Russia’s southern border into the regions of Kursk and Belgorod five times. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the three-day ceasefire last week to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

Ukraine did not agree to the ceasefire, calling it a “parade of cynicism.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offer of direct talks, but said a ceasefire must come first.

“It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war … And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire,” Zelenskyy posted on X.

“We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire — full, lasting, and reliable — starting tomorrow, May 12th,” he added. 

Ukraine’s air force said Russia had launched more than 100 drones into Ukraine at night, shortly after a Russian 72-hour ceasefire had ended at midnight.

Drone attacks were reported in the capital city Kyiv as well as over Odesa, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk. 

The three-day ceasefire was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin to coincide with commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Both Kyiv and Moscow accused each other of violating the ceasefire several times. 

The attacks came as Russian President Vladimir Putin ignored a European-proposed 30-day ceasefire, backed by the US, instead offering direct talks with Kyiv later this month.  

French President Emmanuel Macron said President Vladimir Putin’s proposal for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine is “not enough.”

“An unconditional ceasefire is not preceded by negotiations, by definition,” Macron told reporters in the Polish city of Przemysl. He said Putin was “looking for a way out, but he still wants to buy time.”

Macron was on the way back from Ukraine after he and the leaders of Germany, Poland and the UK met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.

“We need to stand firm with the Americans and say that the ceasefire is unconditional and then we can discuss the rest,” Macron said.

Putin had proposed direct communication with Kyiv in Istanbul on Sunday, but Macron said that was not acceptable for Ukrainians because “they cannot accept parallel discussions while they continue to be bombed.”

He also expressed doubt over whether Zelenskyy would agree for Putin’s proposed talks.

US President Donald Trump said he will “continue to work with both sides” to end the war in Ukraine.

“A potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, without specifying what he was referring to.

“Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending “bloodbath” hopefully comes to an end… I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens.”

“The USA wants to focus, instead, on Rebuilding and Trade. A BIG week upcoming!” Trump exclaimed.

The comments come after Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed resuming direct talks with Ukraine as early as next week.

Ukraine’s air defense units are trying to repel a Russian air attack on Kyiv, the city’s mayor Vitali Klitschko said, after Ukraine’s air force warned of a drone attack on the capital.

“Air defense forces are working in the capital. Stay in shelters!” Klitschko posted on his Telegram account at 4.55 a.m. Kyiv time (1:55 a.m. UTC) on Sunday. 

Kyiv’s City Military Administration posted an alert on Telegram shortly afterwards. 

“An air alert has been issued in Kyiv due to the threat of enemy UAVs. We urge city residents to immediately go to the nearest shelters and stay there until the alert ends,” it said.

It said that air defenses units were engaging enemy targets on Kyiv’s outskirts.

News agency Reuters cited local witnesses who “heard blasts in Kyiv from what sounded like air defence units in operation.”

This live map show Ukraine’s regions which have active air raids. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested restarting direct talks with Ukraine. 

In comments to reporters early on Sunday, Putin said that the talks should aim to achieve a durable peace and eliminate the root causes of the war.

“We offer the Kyiv authorities to resume negotiations already on Thursday [May 15] in Istanbul,” Putin said.

“Those who really want peace can’t be against [the proposal],” he said.

The Russian president added that he would speak with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

It’s not the first time that Putin has tied a ceasefire to the condition of removing the root causes of the war he launched.

Putin typically lists several long-standing complaints he has with Ukraine and the West as justification for invading Ukraine in early 2022.

His demands usually include a stop to NATO’s expansion and Ukraine’s permanent exclusion from the defense alliance, the removal of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from office and returning Ukraine to Russia’s sphere of influence. 

In his comments, Putin did not directly address a request by Ukraine and four of its main Western allies for a 30-day ceasefire without preconditions.

The leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Poland threatened on Saturday to increase sanctions on Russia if it doesn’t accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

The three-day ceasefire declared by Russia expired on Saturday at midnight. 

Ukraine accused Russian forces of only pretending to observe the ceasefire, which was declared for celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Russia’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. 

“The attacks on the front line continue,” President Volodymr Zelenskyy said on Saturday. 

“And Russian assaults are ongoing,” he said. “They haven’t stopped using aerial bombs against our front line positions and border communities.”

Russian shelling in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region over the past day killed three residents and wounded four more, officials there said. 

Another civilian died Saturday as a Russian drone struck the southern city of Kherson, according to the regional government. 

The US embassy in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, warned on Friday of a “potentially significant” Russian air attack that may occur over the coming days. It didn’t give any further details. 

Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia since it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. 

Here is a summary of the lastest developments in the Ukraine war. 

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has proposed restarting direct talks with Ukraine. He said that the talks could take place in Turkey as early as next week and that he would talk to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

Russia’s self-declared ceasefire ended on Saturday at midnight. Putin had declared the three-day ceasefire as Russia marked the 80th anniversary of its victory against Nazi Germany. But Ukraine accuses Russia of violating the ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and its allies have pushed for 30-day ceasefire starting from Monday. Leaders from four major European countries threatened to increase sanctions on Russia if Putin doesn’t accept the proposal for an unconditional ceasefire.