After months of bloodshed and diplomatic gridlock, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Sunday that he will meet face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin this Thursday in Turkey — a move that came after significant urging from President Donald Trump.
The surprise agreement to meet follows Putin’s proposal for talks without preconditions and Zelensky’s insistence on a temporary ceasefire beginning Monday. As of Sunday evening, it remained unclear whether Putin would agree to halt hostilities prior to the meeting.
Trump’s involvement was instrumental. The president publicly pressed Zelensky to accept the meeting offer, describing it as a critical opportunity to end the “bloodbath” and urging Ukrainian leadership to “HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!” in a social media post.
“President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH,” Trump wrote. “Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY.”
Zelensky agreed, tweeting that he would be in Türkiye on Thursday, May 15, and expects Putin to attend. He made clear his hope for a ceasefire, stating, “There is no point in prolonging the killings.”
In his post, Zelensky called on Russia to respond clearly, writing: “We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy… I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally.”
Though cautious in tone, Putin appeared open to talks, telling reporters, “Our proposal… is on the table. The decision is now up to the Ukrainian authorities and their curators.”
Putin also made a jab at Ukraine’s Western allies, accusing them of being guided by “personal political ambitions, and not by the interests of their peoples.”
What’s at stake
Thursday’s proposed summit in Istanbul marks the first direct engagement between Zelensky and Putin since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. If it happens — and that’s still an “if” — the outcome could shift the trajectory of a war that has cost hundreds of thousands of lives and destabilized global energy and food markets.
Zelensky’s participation is a gamble, but one reportedly encouraged behind the scenes by Trump’s diplomatic team, which has been exploring unconventional methods to bring an end to the conflict. Some media outlets have even credited Trump with negotiating a separate deal securing access to Ukraine’s vast mineral wealth — a potential economic incentive to get Kyiv to the table.
Despite progress, serious hurdles remain. Putin has not publicly committed to the pre-meeting ceasefire Zelensky demands. And both sides maintain long-standing grievances and demands that could make peace elusive.
Can Trump broker peace where others failed?
Trump’s high-pressure approach stands in stark contrast to the Biden administration’s Ukraine policy, which largely centered on escalating sanctions and sending billions in weapons with no clear diplomatic off-ramp.
Supporters argue that Trump’s hands-on, deal-focused strategy may finally deliver a result the globalist establishment failed to achieve: an actual end to the war.
With both leaders set to converge on neutral ground in Turkey, and Trump playing an active role from the sidelines, the world will be watching closely on Thursday. A deal may not be guaranteed — but for the first time in a long time, there’s at least a chance.
