14.05.2025 – (12:01 PM) Htate

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has been dissolved and its four-decade-long armed struggle against Turkey has ended, the pro-Kurdish ANF news agency reported on May 12.

“The 12th PKK Party Congress has decided to dissolve the PKK’s organizational structure and end its armed struggle,” the PKK said in a statement after a party congress last week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 11 that he is willing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in person in Turkey.

Zelensky’s comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump said direct talks were needed to assess the chances of peace.

The Kremlin did not immediately respond to Zelensky’s offer, and the Ukrainian leader did not say whether he would attend the talks if Russia rejected a 30-day ceasefire proposed by Ukraine and its allies on May 10.

There have been no face-to-face talks between Ukraine and Russia since March 2022, just days after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

“We are waiting for a full and lasting ceasefire starting tomorrow, which is an indispensable basis for diplomacy,” Zelensky said on social media.

“There is no reason to delay the deaths. On May 15, I will be waiting for Putin in Turkey. Personally, I hope that the Russians will not make excuses at this time,” he said.

Early on May 11, Putin proposed resuming bilateral talks that were held in Istanbul in March 2022.

However, Putin did not respond to the 30-day ceasefire proposed by Ukraine and its allies.

He proposed holding talks in Istanbul no later than May 15, Putin said he would urge Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to help facilitate the talks.