Summary of the Day – May 11, 2025
From: Transform Ukraine By Douglas Landro / May 12, 2025
As Putin Rebuffs Western Ceasefire Demands and Calls for Renewed Istanbul Negotiations, Zelensky Agrees to Meet While Russian Drones Strike Ukrainian Territory
The diplomatic chessboard shifted dramatically as President Vladimir Putin rejected the Western-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, instead inviting Ukraine to resume bilateral negotiations in Istanbul on May 15. President Volodymyr Zelensky promptly accepted the invitation while maintaining that a “complete and unconditional ceasefire” should precede meaningful talks. The diplomatic maneuvers revealed deep divisions, with European leaders insisting that “talks cannot begin until the weapons fall silent,” while U.S. President Donald Trump urged immediate negotiations without preconditions. Throughout these developments, Russian forces launched a massive overnight drone attack involving 108 Shahed UAVs against multiple Ukrainian regions, while both sides reported tactical advances on the battlefield. In a parallel escalation, Hungary and Ukraine expelled each other’s diplomats amid accusations of espionage operations in Zakarpattia Oblast.
Putin’s Calculated Invitation: Return to Istanbul Protocols
Russian President Vladimir Putin called for Russia and Ukraine to resume bilateral negotiations based on the early 2022 Istanbul protocols. Speaking to media organizations on the night of May 10 to 11, Putin proposed that Russia and Ukraine “resume” the direct negotiations that he claimed “[Ukraine] interrupted” in 2022, with talks to begin in Istanbul on May 15.
Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov announced that Russia will soon reveal its delegation to the resumed negotiations and stressed that such talks should account for “developments of the 2022 talks.” The Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported earlier this year that they had obtained several versions of these draft protocols from April 2022.
The documents revealed that Russia demanded Ukraine forego NATO membership aspirations, amend its constitution to ensure neutrality, ban foreign military personnel or advanced weapons on Ukrainian soil, and drastically reduce its military forces to just 85,000 soldiers, 342 tanks, and 519 artillery systems. Putin also emphasized that the purpose of renewed bilateral Russian-Ukrainian negotiations would be to “eliminate the root causes” of the war in Ukraine.
Zelensky’s Swift Response: “I Will Wait for Putin in Turkey”
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on May 11 that he is ready to meet with Putin in Istanbul, regardless of Moscow’s stance on the proposed ceasefire. “There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey,” Zelensky declared.
Voice of Ukraine 