Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accepted the Russian side's ceasefire negotiation proposal and expressed his intention to directly attend the meeting in Turkey on the 15th.
President Zelensky stated on the 11th (local time) on social media platform X, "I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey. In person."
He added, "I hope Russia does not look for excuses," and stated, "The continuation of killing is meaningless."
This is a response to the proposal from Russian President Putin. Putin suggested early on that day, "Resuming negotiations in Istanbul on the 15th."
Putin explained, "We will have serious negotiations with Ukraine," adding, "Eliminating the fundamental causes of the conflict and establishing long-term peace is the goal."
Zelensky maintained his position that "an unconditional ceasefire must come first" until the morning of that day.
However, after U.S. President Trump urged, "Ukraine must immediately agree to the Russian side's ceasefire request," he changed his stance.
According to Zelensky's statements, his direct involvement in this negotiation signifies, in effect, a proposal for a summit.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba supported Zelensky, stating, "A true leader acts this way."
Russia has not yet disclosed its delegation's composition. Yuri Ushakov, Kremlin foreign policy advisor, simply stated, "We will announce it soon."
If the two leaders meet, it will be their first face-to-face encounter in 5 years and 5 months since the Normandy Four summit in December 2019. However, there are widespread predictions that the likelihood of Putin personally appearing at the negotiation venue is low.