Putin suggests Russia and Ukraine have 'direct' talks next week

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for "direct talks" with Ukraine, saying they should "start without delay, as early as 15 May".

"We seek serious talks... to remove the root causes of the conflict and start moving towards a lasting, strong peace", he said on Saturday, in a rare televised late-night address from the Kremlin.

It comes hours after European leaders - including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron - visited Ukraine and urged Russia to agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said Moscow would "have to think this through" - but warned that "trying to pressure us is quite useless".

Putin said he would "not rule out" that in the course of the talks - which he proposed should happen in Turkey's capital Istanbul - Russia and Ukraine may "be able to agree new ceasefires, a new truce".

The Russian leader said he would speak to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday to discuss the details.

Kyiv has not commented on the proposal from Putin.

During his statement, Putin also accused Ukraine of having repeatedly failed to respond to three ceasefire proposals from Moscow - a 30-day halt in attacks on energy infrastructure, the Easter truce and a ceasefire ordered last month by Putin to coincide with World War Two commemorative events.

Ukraine has previously said Russian attacks continued throughout these periods. Russia has made similar claims about Ukraine.

"In spite of everything, we are offering the Kyiv authorities to resume the negotiations... resume direct talks, and I stress, without any preconditions," Putin said.

The last direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv happened shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began more than three years ago.