Kyiv [Ukraine], May 11 (ANI): President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday welcomed the indication that Russia may be considering ending the war, calling it a positive sign. He emphasised the importance of a full, lasting, and reliable ceasefire as the first step towards peace.

'It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war. 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,' Zelenskyy posted on X.

https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1921469464358346850

This comes after European leaders from United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland travelled to Kyiv and called for a full and unconditional ceasefire starting May 12. Zelenskyy emphasised that the ceasefire must cover all areas, land, sea, and air, and last at least 30 days.

Zelenskyy emphasised that the ceasefire must cover all areas, land, sea, and air, and last at least 30 days. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasised the importance of peace, sovereignty, and Ukraine's future as a free and European nation.

'There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day. We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire - full, lasting, and reliable - starting tomorrow, May 12th, and Ukraine is ready to meet,' added Zelenskyy on X post.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia is ready for 'direct talks' with Ukraine, according to a report by CNN. The development comes as the US and European leaders press for a ceasefire.

As per CNN, Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed holding 'direct talks' with Ukraine on Thursday in Istanbul.

'We would like to start immediately, already next Thursday, May 15, in Istanbul, where they were held before and where they were interrupted,' Putin said in a late-night televised address. He emphasized the talks should be held 'without any preconditions', as reported by CNN.

'We are set on serious negotiations with Ukraine,' Putin said, adding they are intended to 'eliminate the root causes of the conflict' and 'reach the establishment of a long-term, durable peace.'

CNN reported that Putin called the proposed talks 'a first step to a long-lasting stable peace but not a prologue to the continuation of an armed conflict after re-armament and re-equipping of Ukrainian armed forces and feverish digging of trenches in new strongholds.'

he conflict between Ukraine and Russia has been ongoing for an extended period, resulting in significant human suffering and economic losses.

The Russia-Ukraine war, now in its third year since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, has become one of the most devastating conflicts in Europe. (ANI)