Zensky is demanding stakes-fires in response to Putin’s call for direct conversations

President VolodyMyr Zensky of Ukraine reacted carefully on the Russian offer of direct conversations on Sunday morning, and said that it was a “positive sign”, but first insist on an immediate truce, just a few hours after President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had rejected a cease-Fire.

Mr. Zensky’s answer did not directly focus on the suggestion of Mr Putin that representatives of the two countries meet in Istanbul on 15 May. But the Ukrainian leader said in a post on social media that he “expected Russia to confirm a ceasefire” that would start on Monday.

The back and forth between the Lord Zelensky and Mr Putin came after the leaders of France, Great Britain, Germany and Poland visited Kyiv and announced a Deadline from Monday for Russia to accept a strike-fire-fire-fires of 30 days or to experience additional sanctions. The European leaders, who spoke by telephone by telephone from Kiev with President Trump on Saturday, said that the United States would also impose sanctions on Russia if Mr Putin did not agree to a truce.

Since the efforts to end the war in Ukraine three months ago, the Trump government has tailored Russia to voting in the United Nations about the war and has resumed the broader diplomatic ties with Moscow. It has left existing economic sanctions, but has not increased pressure with extra limitations, even as Mr. Putin has shown few signs to withdraw into the war. Ukraine, on the other hand, agreed in March to an American proposal for an unconditional ceasefire.

During a late-night press conference on Saturday, Mr Putin responded to asking the European Deadline for direct conversations with Ukraine who would start in Istanbul in the coming days, but he did not accept the proposal for the Stakes-Furen. Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson said that Russia would only do this if the Western governments did not deliver weapons to Ukraine.

Mr. Trump praised the diplomatic efforts in a social media post at night and said it was a “potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine!” But the president did not give any indication of how he saw Mr Putin’s answer, or that the new American sanctions against Russia would cause.

“Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved because this never ends ‘Bloodbath’, hopefully,” he wrote. “It will be a whole new and much better, world. I will continue to work with both parties to ensure that it happens.”

President Emmanuel Macron of France called Russia’s reaction insufficient and said when he left Ukraine that it was “a first step but not enough.” Mr. Macron said that Mr Putin got stuck with his counter offer of direct conversations and “wants to buy time.”

The European leaders who visited Kyiv on Saturday were clear that only with an unconditional cease-fire Moscow would avoid to get under extra sanctions.

Last week, the Kremlin had declared a unilateral three-day truce around the land of the country of the birthday of the victory over Nazi Germany. The army of Ukraine confirmed that most of the strikes had stopped in that period, but fighting went on the front without a break.

Russia resumed his long-distance drone attacks on Ukraine at night on Sunday. From midnight to the middle of the morning Sunday, Russian troops launched Shahed Drones designed by Iran, said the Ukrainian Air Force, which deposited air alarms in various cities.