India, May 11 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday he would be ready to meet Vladimir Putin for talks in Istanbul on Thursday after US President Donald Trump told him to agree to an offer of talks with Russia immediately.

Zelensky, in a post on X, also said that Ukraine expected a full ceasefire to start on Monday in order to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy to end the war.

"And I will be waiting for Putin in Turkiye on Thursday," he said.

If it happens, it will be the first meeting between the two leaders since the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine more than three years ago.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Hindustan Times....