Donald Trump to Ukraine and Russia: Hold the meeting now!

US President Donald Trump has demanded that Ukraine "immediately" agree to direct talks with Russia in an attempt to end the war.

This comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his team was "ready to meet" with Russian officials following Vladimir Putin's offer of peace talks on the condition of an unconditional ceasefire starting Monday.

The Russian president made the offer for talks in Istanbul on Thursday (May 15) after European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, threatened him with new sanctions if Russia did not comply with an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting Monday.

However, in a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday (May 11), Trump said he was "beginning to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin".

He urged them to accept the invitation to meet "immediately", adding "let's have the meeting now".

Trump wrote: "President Putin of Russia does not want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet in Thursday in Turkey to negotiate a possible end to the bloodshed.

"Ukraine must agree to this, immediately. That way, at least, they can determine whether a deal is possible, and if not, European leaders and the United States will know where the issue stands and can act accordingly.

"I'm beginning to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who is too busy celebrating a World War II victory that could not have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America.

"Have the meeting now!“