Germany instructed Russia to reply to the ceasefire proposal by midnight on Monday or risk facing additional sanctions, according to a statement made earlier in the day by government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius during a press briefing.
Berlin cautioned Moscow that should the Kremlin not accept the proposal put forth by Ukraine and its European partners, more stringent sanctions would be crafted and implemented.
As time runs out — we've got just 12 more hours left in today," Kornelius apparently mentioned around noon, also noting that Berlin is working alongside European allies on further sanctions measures.
During the weekend, Russian President Vladimir Putin chose not to reply to the ceasefire proposal but proposed that Ukraine engage in direct discussions in Istanbul on Thursday instead.
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he would be willing to go to Turkey personally to meet with Putin. He also restated Ukraine’s suggestion for an immediate and total ceasefire beginning on May 12 prior to further talks.
The Kremlin has yet to respond to Zelenskyy's suggestion for a direct meeting between the two leaders.
Ceasefire remains elusive as Turkey gears up for the Istanbul talks
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated on Monday that Russia is not adhering to the ceasefire declared for May 12.
In discussions with the foreign ministers of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, along with the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, he mentioned Ukraine’s Chief of General Staff, Oleksandr Syrskyi's account of ongoing assaults by Russian forces against Ukrainian troops and positions at various fronts.
At least seven individuals were hurt during the drone strikes in Russia late Monday night, coinciding with the deadline set by Kyiv and its partners for an unconditionally 30-day cease-fire.
In the meantime, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has urged Russia and Ukraine to convene "at the earliest opportunity" and "announce a truce."
I am hopeful that this will occur, which is our objective," he stated, further noting that he believed a "solution" could be reached within "the coming days.
"I believe the parties will come to an agreement within the coming days. You see, the Ukrainians are calling for a ceasefire initially followed by negotiations, whereas the Russians prefer starting with discussions before agreeing to a ceasefire; thus, the impasse continues," he confessed.