U.S. and European officials persuaded President Volodymyr Zelensky to represent Ukraine at upcoming peace talks in Istanbul despite Russia's evasiveness about who it would send, the Washington Post (WP) reported on May 14,

Zelensky plans to travel to Turkey but it remains unclear whether he'll meet with his Russian counterpart - or what the outcome will be

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said he does not believe Russia will agree to a ceasefire and emphasised Europe’s determination to ramp up pressure on Moscow. Source: Pistorius in an interview with German TV channel ZDF,

Putin and Trump to skip Turkey summit leaving peace talks hanging in balance - Zelensky says he will fly to Istanbul at a moment's notice if Putin does show up

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 Commission has presented a "roadmap" to end all imports of Russian gas by 2027 and stop "sponsoring Putin's brutal military actions." The measure comes more than three years after the invasion of Ukraine.

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.

NBC News’ Keir Simmons journeyed inside the confines of the Moscow fortress to hear from President Vladimir Putin, as the U.S. and Europe hope to push Russia and Ukraine toward accepting a 30-day ceasefire.