“Grateful [to Turkey] for the support and willingness at the highest level to boost diplomacy,” Zelenskyy wrote in a Telegram post on May 12.
“We equally see the need to bring about a ceasefire.”
The Ukrainian president stressed that Kyiv’s partners must monitor any future ceasefire. He also reaffirmed his readiness for direct talks with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
“It is very important that we all work together throughout Europe to ensure long-term security,” he said.
“We will remain in constant contact with the United States. I have agreed with President Erdogan that we will work together to secure peace.”
On May 10, French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv.
They held a phone call with Trump and announced Ukraine’s readiness to enact a full ceasefire starting May 12.
Later that same day, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin offered Ukraine direct talks “without preconditions” in Istanbul on May 15. In his address, however, Putin made no mention of the “coalition of the willing” initiative for a 30-day ceasefire set to begin May 12.