Macron says whether direct talks between Kiev and Moscow are possible

French President Emmanuel Macron has reacted to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's proposal for direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on 15 May. He recalled that European leaders, together with US President Donald Trump, while in Kiev, made it clear to the dictator about the need for a 30-day ceasefire from 12 May. The corresponding statement the politician published in X.

In Kiev with President Trump, we made a clear proposal: an unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Monday," Macron wrote.

He said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made the commitment without putting any conditions on it. Western countries expect the same from Russia.

When weapons are spoken, there is no negotiation. There is no discussion of whether the population is being bombed at the same time. A ceasefire is necessary to start negotiations," the French president pointed out.

Already at the vokal in the Polish city of Peremyshl on his return from a trip to Ukraine, Emmanuel Macron said that an unconditional ceasefire by definition does not imply negotiations and added that Putin imposing them "is looking for a way out, but still wants to buy time."

Macron also said Putin's proposal was "unacceptable for the Ukrainians because they cannot agree to parallel discussions while they continue to be bombed."

Meanwhile, Moscow said that the Istanbul talks between Ukraine and Russia "should take place taking into account the real situation and the developments of the 2022 negotiations". This statement was made by Russian presidential aide Yuriy Ushakov.

Taking this into account, of course. Taking into account, of course, the real situation," the Russian state agency quoted his statement on Russian television as saying in response to a question whether the negotiations would start from where they left off in 2022.

For his part, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Russian head's proposal allegedly "confirms the real intention to find a peaceful solution."