Ready to meet Russia if ceasefire agreed

• Putin rejects ceasefire ultimatum proposed by European leaders
• Erdogan says efforts to end Ukraine war at 'turning point'
• Russia launched over 100 drones at Ukraine: Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday said that Kyiv would meet with Moscow for talks in Istanbul on May 15, but said that Russia must first commit to a 30-day ceasefire starting today.

Zelensky -- using rare language since Moscow launched its invasion more than three years ago that has devastated Ukraine -- said he saw a "positive sign" from Russia.

The warring sides have not held direct talks since March 2022, shortly after the Kremlin launched its invasion in February of that year.

Zelensky's comments came after Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed that Kyiv and Moscow meet on May 15.

However, in the nighttime press conference at the Kremlin, Putin did not comment on the 30-day ceasefire proposal put forward by Kyiv and its European allies.

Putin said Russia was proposing direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul in an attempt to "eliminate the root causes of the conflict" and "to achieve the restoration of a long-term, lasting peace" rather than simply a pause for rearmament.

"We are proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions," Putin said from the Kremlin.

On a visit to Kyiv on Saturday the leaders of France, the UK, Germany and Poland pressured Russia -- with US President Donald Trump's support -- to commit to an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine starting from today.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday told Russian and French leaders that a "historic turning point" has been reached in efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war and that Ankara was ready to host talks between the two warring parties, his office said.

Russia's invasion has dragged on for more than three years and killed thousands of people.

"There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day. We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire -- full, lasting and reliable -- starting tomorrow, May 12, and Ukraine is ready to meet," Zelensky said on social media.

"It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war," Zelensky said, in a break of tone.

Meanwhile, Kyiv yesterday said that Moscow had launched more than 100 drones into Ukraine at night, shortly after a Russian 72-hour ceasefire had ended at midnight.