Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed direct talks with Ukraine in the Turkish city of Istanbul on May 15, aiming for discussions without preconditions to achieve lasting peace and eliminate the root causes of the three-year conflict.

According to Qatar News Agency, the offer was delivered early on Sunday, shortly after the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom called for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire to start on Monday. "We are proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions," the Russian president told reporters. "We offer the Kyiv authorities to resume negotiations already on Thursday, in Istanbul."

Putin expressed his commitment to serious negotiations with Ukraine, emphasizing his desire to eliminate the conflict's root causes and establish a long-lasting peace. He suggested that the proposed talks should be held in Istanbul, a city that has hosted such discussions before, and mentioned plans to speak with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday to discuss the details.

There was no immediate response from Ukraine to the proposal. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously stated his readiness for peace talks, contingent upon the establishment of a ceasefire.