Waffenruhe or negotiation? Putin under pressure before talks!

Waffenruhe or negotiation? Putin under pressure before talks!

Istanbul, Türkei - On May 11, 2025, the tensions between Russia and Ukraine are again the focus of international diplomacy. The Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Emmanuel Macron demand an immediate ceasefire as a prerequisite for taking peace talks. In the meantime, Putin has proposed discussions between Russia and Ukraine for the coming week, an approach that was rejected by Ukraine and its European allies as inadequate. Selenskyj has emphasized that a ceasefire is the first step to end the conflict and calls for confirmation of a complete and permanent ceasefire from May 12th.

The decisive factor for the attitude of Ukraine is skeptical voices, including the opposition politician Jaroslaw Schelesniak, which require more pressure on Russia. Macron made it clear that there could be no negotiations without a ceasefire and recalled that US President Donald Trump also supports the demand for unconditional ceasefire. Chancellor Merz said that the signals from Moscow were not sufficient to start real conversations.

Putin's offer and international reactions

Putin has asked that Russia must receive concessions from Ukraine before a peace conclusion, including non-membership in NATO and demilitarization. According to reports, Putin plans to continue the talks on May 15 in Istanbul, where they were canceled in May 2022. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced that it will be ready to align this meeting and confirm his support for direct negotiations during a phone call with Putin.

Erdoğan spoke in a further phone call with Macron of a "turning point" on the way to termination of the Ukraine decline. Although Erdoğan welcomed the resumption of peace talks, it remains unclear whether the call to a ceasefire on the part of Türkiye was intended as a prerequisite for the talks. Putin's proposal to continue the negotiations on May 15 was described by Merz as "initially a good sign", but criticized as inadequate.

continued attacks and military situation

Despite the growing diplomatic efforts, the Russian attacks on Ukraine continue. Between midnight and Sunday morning, 108 combat drones were started, 60 of which were intercepted. This aggressive military strategy raises questions about the seriousness of the Russian peace offers. ARD correspondent Golod has indicated that Putin may simulate diplomacy while continuing his military activities.

The international community, including European countries such as Germany, France, Great Britain and Poland, called Russia for a 30-day unconditional arms rest from Monday. The head of the Ukrainian President, Andrij Jermak, said that implementing a ceasefire must be a necessary first step before further measures could be taken.

While diplomacy continues to stall, the situation remains tense on the front, and the world looks forward to the next steps on both sides in this lengthy and complex conflict.

For more information, visit Tagesschau , Berliner Zeitung and Spiegel .