VLADIMIR Putin has said he wants to hold direct peace talks with Ukraine within just days.

Speaking to reporters in the Kremlin in the early hours of Sunday, Putin proposed to restart negotiations that Russia and Ukraine held in 2022.

It comes after Ukraine and four European leaders pressed Russia to accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire starting Monday or face “painful sanctions”.

The ultimatum was given after talks in Kyiv attended by President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland.

The United States and other countries back the proposal, they said.

The Kremlin’s spokesman told CNN that Moscow will “think through” the proposal, but stressed “there are lots of questions” remaining and that Russia is “resistant to any kind of pressure”.

Now, Putin says he wants to hold direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey on May 15.

The dictator said: “It was not Russia that broke off negotiations in 2022. It was Kyiv. Nevertheless, we are proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions.

“Despite everything, we offer the Kyiv authorities to resume negotiations already on Thursday, in Istanbul.

“Let me remind you that as a result of these negotiations, a joint draft document was prepared, and it was initialled by the head of the Kyiv negotiating group, but at the insistence of the West, it was thrown into the trash.”

A smirking Putin, who has repeatedly bombarded civilians in Ukraine, also claimed Russia had made several ceasefire initiatives, but Kyiv failed to respond to the proposals.

He said: “Kyiv authorities have not responded to any of our ceasefire proposals.”

But the tyrant has now agreed to hold direct talks with Kyiv.

It comes after Sir Keir Starmer joined leaders from France, Germany and Poland to issue a tough ultimatum to Russia as they visited war-torn Kyiv to mark the end of VE Day week.

The coalition of the willing group threatened to sanction Moscow if Putin doesn’t agree to a 30-day ceasefire deal in just 24 hours.

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