Zelensky Prioritizes '30-Day Ceasefire' Over Putin's 'Direct Dialogue' Proposal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the 11th (local time) urged the immediate acceptance of an 'unconditional 30-day ceasefire' demanded alongside major European countries, in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal for direct dialogue, stating that "the first step to truly ending the war is a ceasefire."

President Zelensky said on social media platform X that this is a "positive signal that Russia is finally starting to consider ending the war."

This implies that accepting the '30-day ceasefire' is a priority, and if not, it is interpreted as a refusal to accept Putin's proposal to resume negotiations between the two countries in Istanbul, Turkey, on the 15th.

Zelensky stated, "Continuing acts of killing even for a day is meaningless," and "We expect Russia to accept a comprehensive, lasting, and reliable ceasefire starting tomorrow."

Earlier, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk held a press conference with Zelensky in Kyiv, Ukraine, on the previous day (10th), demanding Russia accept a comprehensive ceasefire for 30 days starting on the 12th.

They warned that if not complied with, military support for Ukraine would be expanded and new large-scale sanctions would be imposed on Russia's energy and financial sectors. They particularly emphasized that U.S. President Donald Trump, who spoke with them that day, also agreed.

Reporter Go Jeong-sam, Hankyung.com jsk@hankyung.com