Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is prepared to meet Vladimir Putin this week, shortly after US President Donald Trump urged him to “immediately” accept the Russian leader’s offer to hold peace talks in Turkey.

The EU is preparing new sanctions on Russia despite a potential meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, three sources told CNBC.

The European Union expects that the Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin will be ready to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday 15 May, and is also prepared to impose additional sanctions on Russia if a ceasefire is not achieved.

Iran is preparing for a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iran's government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani was quoted by Russia's state RIA news agency as saying on Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Ankara on May 15, prepared to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for direct talks — if Putin attends. Zelensky warned that Putin’s absence would signal his unwillingness to end the conflict and called for new sanctions if he fails to show.

Steven Seagal, a long-time supporter of Vladimir Putin and now a Russian citizen, attended Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow, marking the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat. He was seen alongside the Night Wolves biker club,

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin must respond to the ceasefire proposal in Ukraine by the end of the day, The Guardian reports. According to German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius, "the clock is ticking" for Russia.

A s president xi jinping stood shoulder to shoulder with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, watching Russian and Chinese soldiers marching across Red Square on May 9th, they could have been mistaken for equals.