Russia has called for direct negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, but Ukraine’s European allies say Putin needs to agree to a ceasefire first.

While US President Donald Trump "thinks" of flying to Turkey this week for possible talks between Ukraine and Russia over the ongoing war, the European leaders are threatening Moscow with a new round

The spokesperson for the European Commission, Paula Pinho, suggested that Vladimir Putin might be surprised by Volodymyr Zelensky's readiness to meet in person. This comment came in the context of the Russian leader's refusal to agree to an immediate ceasefire and engage in talks with the Ukrainian president.

The European Commission is considering imposing additional sanctions on Russia. Following Russia's refusal to agree to a ceasefire, the foreign ministers of France and Germany advocated for increased pressure through new sanctions.

The Istanbul meeting will be decisive in determining a ceasefire: if it does not take place, it will signal that Russia is not interested in ending the war. In that case, the West must act decisively and impose the strongest possible sanctions package,

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused European countries of taking a “pro-war” stance, saying their approach to the conflict in Ukraine was aimed at prolonging the war. Peskov criticized Europe’s position as “unbalanced,

They had warned Moscow that if Russia didn't agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Monday, there will be more sanctions against Russia and more military assistance for Ukraine.On Saturday, Sir Keir Starmer said that "if he [Putin] is serious about peace,

With Russian forces grinding forward, Putin has offered few, if any, concessions, but has proposed talks in Istanbul that he said would be held without preconditions and aimed at a durable peace.

Trump says he could join Putin and Zelensky at Turkey peace summit - Trump says he is 'thinking about actually flying over' to Turkey where Putin and Zelensky are likely to meet this week

The EU is preparing new large-scale sanctions against Russia, targeting its oil and financial systems. Their implementation will depend on the results of potential negotiations in Türkiye and the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin,