A resident looks at a damaged private house after a Russian bombing in Kramatorsk, in the Donetsk region, on May 11, 2025, as part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Credit: Tetiana DZHAFAROVA/AFP.)
Russia ignored Kyiv's allies' ultimatum by launching more than a hundred drones overnight from Sunday to Monday on Ukraine, which is awaiting a response from the Kremlin to Volodymyr Zelensky's proposal to meet "in person" with Vladimir Putin on Thursday in Istanbul.
Kyiv and its European allies demanded over the weekend a "complete and unconditional" 30-day cease-fire starting Monday, which they see as a prerequisite for opening direct peace talks between Russians and Ukrainians in Turkey, as proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
At this stage, Russia has neither responded to the offer made Sunday by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to exchange directly "in person" with Vladimir Putin, nor to this ultimatum to stop fighting for a month, while U.S. President Donald Trump urged both sides to meet without delay.
Russian attacks against Ukraine continued overnight, as they have almost every day since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022, a conflict that has resulted in the deaths of tens or even hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians on both sides.
Russia "attacked with 108 (explosive drones) Shahed and other types of drones" overnight from Sunday to Monday, announced the Ukrainian air force, noting they shot down at least 55. No missile attack has been reported, which is relatively rare. On Monday morning, a Russian drone killed one and injured three by striking a car belonging to a critical company in the Sumy region (northeast), according to authorities.
Ukrainian railways reported in a statement an attack against a freight train in the East, lamenting that calls for a cease-fire were "ignored" by Russia, which still occupies nearly 20% of Ukrainian territory.
Diplomatic acceleration
On the diplomatic front, things accelerated unexpectedly in a few days, as separate discussions, initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, seemed deadlocked. Kyiv and its European allies, in concert with the United States, issued an ultimatum on Saturday for a 30-day cease-fire to Russia, threatening Moscow with "massive sanctions" in case of refusal, in a rare display of unity among Westerners.
The Russian president ignored the ultimatum, proposing in turn "direct" and "unconditional" negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, starting Thursday in Istanbul (Turkey). It would be the first discussions between Russians and Ukrainians since the early weeks of the Russian invasion in early 2022, when a series of bilateral meetings, also partly held in Turkey, did not lead to the signing of a peace agreement.
Volodymyr Zelensky responded by inviting Vladimir Putin to meet "in person" on Thursday in Istanbul. Without receiving a response from the Kremlin at this stage. For this proposed Russo-Ukrainian meeting to take place, Kyiv and its allies have called for a prior cease-fire. "To engage in peace talks, there must be a cease-fire," said Monday EU's chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, arriving at a foreign ministers' meeting of several European countries in London dedicated to the war in Ukraine. To which Russia has so far not responded directly.
It was not immediately clear whether Zelensky's trip was conditional on Moscow's acceptance of a prior truce.
"Root causes of the conflict"
But Vladimir Putin - who still demands Ukraine's surrender, its renouncement to join NATO, and Moscow's retention of annexed Ukrainian territories - appears to have a different perspective, knowing his army is in a favorable position on the front. In his speech, he did not "exclude" that the idea of a cease-fire could be discussed during these talks, which, according to him, should primarily focus on "the root causes of the conflict."
Beyond his desire to "demilitarize" Ukraine, the Russian president is also demanding a general overhaul of the security architecture in Europe, viewing NATO's approach to Russia's borders as an existential threat. "We must pressure Russia because it is playing a game," said Monday Kaja Kallas. A meeting on Thursday in Turkey "will at least determine if an agreement is possible, and if it is not, European leaders and the United States will know where they stand and can act accordingly," Donald Trump stated on Sunday.
China, a loyal diplomatic supporter of Russia, welcomed the latest diplomatic developments on Monday, expressing hope for a "lasting and binding" peace agreement, "acceptable for all parties involved."