It’s no coincidence that Putin chose May 15 as the date to resume negotiations

Written by: Zeljko Sajn, Special Correspondent of Kosovo Online from Moscow

The grand military parade marking 80 years since the victory over fascism in World War II—held amid the war in Ukraine and global instability—served as the stage for the announcement of a new peace initiative from Moscow.

Immediately following the Victory Day Parade and meetings with heads of state and government, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed journalists from the Kremlin at midnight between May 10 and 11. With no opportunity for questions, Putin announced that Russia is proposing the resumption of negotiations with Kyiv, which the Ukrainian side halted at the end of 2022. The proposal includes talks to begin in Istanbul on Thursday, May 15, without any preconditions.

“We propose that the negotiations with Kyiv—terminated by them at the end of 2022—be resumed without any preconditions. We propose that they start immediately, on Thursday, May 15, in Istanbul, where they had previously taken place. A ceasefire, to be upheld by both Russia and Ukraine, would be the first step toward lasting peace,” said the Russian president, emphasizing that by “ceasefire,” he does not mean a pause used by Ukraine to rearm and entrench, but a step toward a permanent resolution.

“Let me repeat: we have repeatedly proposed ceasefire steps and have never refused dialogue with the Ukrainian side,” Putin stated.

Putin’s announcement is rich in symbolism, pointing to a continuity between historical events of World War II and today’s efforts to achieve peace. The peace in Europe after WWII was formalized in the night between May 8 and 9, 1945, preceded by the Yalta Conference on February 4 of the same year, where the leaders of the USSR, USA, and UK—Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill—charted the course of a new world order, replacing the one established at the Versailles Conference of 1919.

Putin’s choice of May 15 as the proposed negotiation date is no coincidence—it is the day when, according to a telegram from General Kosta Nadj to Tito, Yugoslavia officially marked the end of World War II. The message at the time was: “Comrade Tito, the war is over.”

The open question remains: Will Putin this time receive a similar message from Istanbul—“Comrade Putin, the Special Military Operation is over”?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky quickly responded to Russia’s proposal. In a statement carried by numerous global media outlets, he said:

“I expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire—full and reliable—starting tomorrow, May 12, and Ukraine is ready for a meeting.”

However, as reported in Moscow’s media, Zelensky’s statement raises the question of whether he is prepared for negotiations—or merely a meeting—provided the fighting first stops. The Russian side insists that it does not accept any preconditions and instead seeks direct and substantive talks aimed at achieving long-term peace.

In diplomatic circles in Moscow, it is believed that the success of the proposal will depend on whose advice Zelensky decides to follow:

The advice from Europe, where some members still act like a “collective Johnson” (a reference to former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who in 2022 reportedly blocked the finalization of a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow),

Or the advice of Donald Trump, the former U.S. President, who, according to Russian media, has strongly supported Putin’s initiative.

Trump declared he would personally work toward ending the bloodshed in Ukraine, stating that such a development would make the world a better place. He also announced that he would directly contact Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to support the organization of the talks in Istanbul.

Support from Ankara has already arrived. According to an official Kremlin statement, Putin held a phone call with Erdoğan, who expressed full support for the Russian proposal and Turkey’s readiness to provide the logistics and venue for the resumption of dialogue. Erdoğan reportedly pledged that Turkey would do everything possible to help achieve sustainable peace.

The same Kremlin statement also noted that President Putin shared impressions from the 80th anniversary celebrations of the victory, as well as the outcomes of numerous international contacts made during those days. The two leaders expressed interest in deepening cooperation on strategic projects, particularly in the energy sector.

At a time when Russia reflects on its WWII victory, Moscow is focused on any signal that could lead to a new diplomatic initiative to end the war in Ukraine. The memory of the Red Army’s great victory over fascism is not only a historical reference but also a political platform for messages with weight in today’s international arena. In this spirit, the initiative for peace talks in Istanbul is more than a diplomatic gesture—it is an attempt to invoke historical symbolism to remind the world of the power of dialogue and compromise.

What remains clear is that the outcome—both then and now—depends not only on the battlefield but also on the political will of key players to recognize the moment when history can be redirected from the brink of catastrophe toward lasting peace.