Germany has given Russia until the end of 12 May to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine, warning that failure to do so would trigger preparations for new sanctions, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
“The clock is ticking — we still have 12 hours until the end of this day,” Kornelius said. He added that Berlin is coordinating with European partners on additional sanctions.
The statement follows Russia’s refusal of a 30-day ceasefire starting 12 May, proposed by Ukraine and its allies last week when European leaders visited Kyiv.
European officials have strongly backed Ukraine’s proposal for an immediate 30-day ceasefire. In a joint statement, foreign ministers from the “Weimar Plus” group emphasized that Russia has shown no serious intention for progress.
“So far, Russia has shown no serious intention of making progress. It must do so without delay,” the ministers said, calling on Moscow to engage in talks without delay.
“Putin must understand the cost of rejecting peace and choosing war,” Sybiha said after joining a ministerial meeting in London with counterparts from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the European Union.
The meeting took place as European powers pushed for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s announcement that he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Türkiye on 15 May.
“There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Türkiye,” Zelenskyy said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed optimism about peace prospects, saying recent statements from both countries present “a new chance for a peace process” that he hopes “will not be wasted.”
Erdoğan added that he had spoken with Zelenskyy and confirmed Türkiye’s willingness to host potential peace talks between the parties.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited Ukraine to peace talks in Istanbul beginning 15 May but notably did not agree to the proposed 30-day ceasefire. During a press conference, Putin claimed Russia is “ready for negotiations without any preconditions.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov earlier rejected the idea of a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, claiming it would give Ukraine an advantage.
US President Donald Trump has indicated he might attend the potential meeting in Istanbul. “I have so many appointments, but I have thought about actually flying there,” Trump told reporters before departing for talks in the Middle East.
Zelenskyy welcomed Trump’s potential participation, writing on social media: “We all in Ukraine would welcome if President Trump could join this meeting in Türkiye. That’s the right idea. We can change a lot.”
Ukrainian officials report that Russian forces have not honored the proposed ceasefire that should have begun on 12 May. According to Sybiha, Russian attacks have injured at least 22 people in Ukraine over the past 24 hours, including seven people injured in drone attacks overnight.
“Moscow is once again missing a chance to end the killing,” Sybiha said, while confirming that Zelenskyy remains committed to meeting Putin on 15 May.
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