The talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul must be held without preconditions, said Dmitry Peskov, the Russian presidential spokesperson.

Peskov stressed that in his statement on Sunday night, Russian President Vladimir Putin “clearly and unequivocally outlined Russia’s position on the resumption of direct talks in Istanbul without any preconditions,” RIA Novosti reports.

Also, the Kremlin spox stated that Russia was resolutely seeking major ways to achieve a long-term settlement in Ukraine, and that making ultimatums was unacceptable for Russia.

Before Peskov’s briefing with reporters, European leaders again have called for a ceasefire before the start of these talks. The German government said that if Moscow does not agree to a ceasefire by the end of the day, the European Union will be ready to impose a new package of sanctions on Russia.