Zelenskyy welcomes Putin’s proposal, presses for ceasefire before peace talks

Kyiv (AP): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he is pleased to see that Russia is finally engaging with finding an end to the war, but there must be a ceasefire before peace talks can start.

Calling it a “positive sign,” he said that “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”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in remarks to the media overnight effectively rejected the ceasefire proposal and proposed restarting direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15 instead.