Putin Plans to Resume Negotiations with Kiev

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced intentions to engage in discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding ongoing negotiations with Ukraine. The announcement came during a late-night press conference on Saturday, where Putin indicated that a Russian delegation would be dispatched to Istanbul for talks.

During the press conference, which took place in the early hours of Sunday, Putin extended an invitation to the Ukrainian authorities to resume negotiations on Thursday in Istanbul. He emphasized that while there would be no ceasefire initiated on Monday, the possibility of reaching an agreement on a ceasefire during the upcoming talks was still on the table.

Putin's remarks followed the expiration of a brief three-day ceasefire that had been established to coincide with Russia's Victory Day celebrations. The situation has intensified as European Union leaders and U.S. officials have increased their demands for a longer ceasefire agreement from Russia. A coalition of around thirty nations, known as the "Coalition of the Willing," has backed the U.S. call for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

In response to these demands, Russia acknowledged that it was considering the proposals. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated in a CNN interview that attempts to pressure Russia were futile. He underscored that the Kremlin would not yield to external pressures.

Simultaneously, U.S. and several European leaders have hinted at the possibility of imposing significant new sanctions against Russia unless President Putin agrees to their demands for an extended ceasefire. Sources have suggested that one potential measure could involve permanently halting the operation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which is a critical energy link between Russia and Europe.