President Vladimir Putin appears to be facing a dilemma as Russian and Ukrainian representatives prepare for direct peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on Thursday.

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators met in Belarus on February 28, 2022, four days after Russia's full-scale invasion. They later held meetings by video link before meeting again in person in Istanbul on March 29. After that they exchanged multiple drafts until mid-April, before the talks broke down.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is prepared to meet Vladimir Putin this week, shortly after US President Donald Trump urged him to “immediately” accept the Russian leader’s offer to hold peace talks in Turkey.

Russia is “completely ignoring” the proposed cease-fire as it continues to attack Ukraine “all along” the front line, Kyiv’s Foreign Minister has said on Monday. “Russians are completely ignoring the offer of a full and durable ceasefire starting on May 12.