War in Ukraine: Selenskyj sees Putin’s negotiating offer as a good sign

The Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj has seen the offer from the Kremlin to resume direct negotiations as a good sign. “The whole world has been waiting for this for a long time,” he wrote in social networks. The first step for the end of the war was to stop the fighting, but insisted on the demand for a ceasefire.

It is pointless to continue killing for a day. “We expect Russia to confirm the fire break – a complete, persistent and reliable – tomorrow on May 12th, and Ukraine is ready to meet,” wrote the Ukrainian head of state.

Ukraine, together with important European allies on Saturday, pronounced the ultimate demand for a ceasefire from Monday. At a meeting of Selenskyjs with the heads of state and government from Germany, France, Great Britain and Poland, it was said that the ceasefire should last at least 30 days and serve negotiations on final peace. In the event of a rejection of Russia, further sanctions were threatened.

Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin answered the ultimatum with a counter offer at night. From Thursday, direct negotiations could begin without preconditions between Russia and Ukraine, he said. Before that, however, he didn’t want to call out ceasefire.