Ukrainian President Welcomes Russian Overtures, But Says Ceasefire Must Come Before Peace Talks

Bianca Popa

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday welcomed Russia’s offer for direct peace talks, but insisted there must be a full, temporary ceasefire in place before negotiations can start. Zelenskyy, writing on X, said it was a “positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war” and said that “the entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time." He added, however, that "the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire,”