The political wrangling over the conflict in Ukraine is continuing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he wants to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey on Thursday. That is his response to Putin's proposal for direct negotiations between the two countries.

Zelenskyy suggested in a social media post that he wants a full and lasting ceasefire to begin on Monday. He said there is no point in prolonging the killings. The president added that he hopes the Russians will not look for excuses.

Putin said that direct talks need to restart. He stressed that there will be no preconditions.

Negotiations aimed at achieving a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine were previously held in Istanbul. That was in March of 2022, about a month after Moscow's invasion started.

Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone about a peace deal on Sunday.

Erdogan said his country is ready to host negotiations that will lead to a lasting solution. He also said that a comprehensive ceasefire would create the necessary environment for peace talks. The president is said to have noted that a window of opportunity to achieve peace has been opened.

Kyiv and its allies have been urging Moscow to commit to a 30-day ceasefire. French President Emmanuel Macron said in a social media message that a ceasefire is needed so that talks can begin.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated that he expects Moscow to agree to a ceasefire. He said talks cannot start until the weapons fall silent. But Putin did not mention a ceasefire in his proposal.