May 13, Kathmandu- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged US President Donald Trump to seek an opportunity to visit Turkey as Turkey has been proposed as a venue for talks between Russia and Ukraine.

In a video message, the Ukrainian president said he was ready to travel to Turkey for talks.

In a message posted on X, Zelensky also accused “Russian shelling and attacks” of continuing. He said Ukraine supports diplomacy and expressed hope that the US president would support the meeting and have the opportunity to participate in it.

“Ukraine has always supported diplomacy. I am ready to go to Turkey. Unfortunately, the world has not yet received a clear answer from Russia on many proposals for a ceasefire,” he said. “Russian shelling and attacks continue. Moscow has been silent all day about the proposal for a direct meeting. A strange silence. One way or another, Russia will have to end this war – and the sooner, the better. There is no point in continuing the killing.”

President Erdogan (President of Turkey) has expressed full readiness to host the meeting, he said, adding, “It is important that President Trump fully supports the meeting and we want him to be able to find an opportunity to come to Turkey.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on Sunday, saying they should begin without delay on May 15.

In a televised address shared by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Putin stressed that the talks should be “without any preconditions” and that Turkey, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, should once again play the role of host.