Direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators last took place in Istanbul in March 2022 in the early weeks of Russia's invasion. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he might visit Turkey for the talks as part of his trip to the Middle East this week but said he did not know if Putin would show up.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly floated the possibility of scrapping his Middle East travel schedule and adding a stop to personally mediate Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Turkey.

Turkey is ready to host negotiations for a ceasefire and permanent peace between Russia and Ukraine, President Tayyip Erdogan told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in a phone call on Sunday, Erdogan's office said.

Putin proposed immediate negotiations on Thursday in Istanbul while Europeans and Trump were talking about a ceasefire from Monday

As tensions remain high, the international community continues to watch closely, hoping both nuclear-armed nations step back from the brink.

Turkey is ready to undertake the duty to observe a possible ceasefire in Ukraine, its foreign minister said during a "coalition of the willing" call with Kyiv's partners on Saturday, a Turkish foreign ministry source said.

Turkey's ambitions to become a natural gas hub could thwart the European Union's plans to end reliance on Russian gas by 2027.