Catherine Field: Europe Correspondent on the direct talks between Ukraine, Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin is yet to confirm if he'll attend direct talks with Ukraine this week. 

It comes after western allies in the 'Coalition of the Willing' offered a US backed 30-day cease-fire proposal to Russia, alongside the threat of sanctions.  

Ukraine President Zelenskyy's asking for a ceasefire before they begin talks but is willing to meet in Turkey on Thursday. 

Europe Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking Putin requested the meeting, without preconditions.  

She says he may not even attend and instead could send his Foreign Minister. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
In France. Catherine Field, A very good morning to you. Kiden.
Morning mate. Now we're all we at we're all heading
to Turkey on Thursday. Who's turning up? What's happening here?

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Oh, it's all getting very mixed up, as it has
made lots of various strands to the Ukraine War. At
the moment, what we've got is the Ukraine and the
EU say that there needs to be a ceasefire, a
thirty day unconditional cease fire before talks come begin. Vladimir
Putin has said he wants talks before the ceasefire, and

(00:31):
he's ready to have talks take place in Turkey on Thursday.
Still not sure if those talks will take place, and
still not even sure if Vladimir Putin himself will go
or whether he'll just send his foreign minister for his parts. Zelenski,
the Ukrainian President, has said he will go and he's
looking forward to seeing Vladimir Putin there and to be

(00:54):
able to talk peace. He calls Zelenski says that he's
not brought over on this idea that there would be
a ceasefire. He said that a ceasefire will be a
good move, It will be a move toward peace, a
foundation for diplomacy. But he points out, of course, that
we've seen several ceasefires announced by Russia that haven't been upheld,

(01:16):
particularly the most recent one over Easter and the recent
one of course over the victory in Europe commemorations, which
there was still drone attacks on various parts of Ukraine.
So yeah, what.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
Are we going to do, Mike.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
Well, the EU has said they wanted a ceasefire to
start Monday night. That's just in a couple of hours time.
The German government has said the clock is ticking and
if that ceasfire isn't in place by the end of
Monday Berlin time, then they will be looking at new sanctions.
We've talked about sanctions before, so you know there's been

(01:50):
sixteen rounds of sanctions Mike. This would be a seventeenth
if that goes ahead. So that would be financial institutions
and targeting those shadow fleets, those Russian fleets that go
around the world. So I'm sorry, I can give you
no more clarity on anything.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
That's a good insight. What I am reading this morning
is Putin's messing some troops on the border of Finland.
This is in the tabloid press. I don't know how
seriously to take this. And this will be a response
to the joining of Finland, NATO ETCA. He's got some
tents and stuff. Is anyone getting exercised about that?

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Only me? Because I'm going to Finland at.

Speaker 1 (02:23):
The end of the week. Okay, Well, so look at
So what you need to do is look out for
tents and if you see a lot of Russian tents,
you go, well, that's that's on the border. Well, hold on,
if you're going to Finland, what are you going to
do when you're lining up Tomorrow morning our time for Kim.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
Oh, well, I am going to be lining up at
seven am in the morning, Paris time for Kim Kardashian. Yes,
after this, think back, this is twenty sixteen, that big
robbery here in Paris. We're expecting her to arrive. She's
going to give a statement before the court a nearly
afternoon in Paris time. We're told to expect chaos outside

(02:58):
the court, not only unless, not only onlookers, but the paparazzi.
Everyone's going to be there. Police have said they will
sneak her into the court so we won't get a
view of her until she's actually physically in court. But
after she's given her statement, she's answered questions from the judge,
the magistrates and the public prosecutor, she will make a

(03:19):
statement on the court room steps after that.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
And also you're going to Finland at a time when
normally you'd attend the can Film Festival.

Speaker 2 (03:26):
And quick, what's happening there? Or there's always something to
look out for at the can Film Festival, But what
are the big things? This year? We've seen various occasions
across the red carpets across the world nudity. You know,
we've seen what have been described as sheer outfits.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
Well who would.

Speaker 2 (03:47):
Believe it, but the can Film Festival organizers have said
this year nudity is prohibited on the red carpet. I
know it's black tie, evening gown, cocktail dresses and elegant
sand only this year they want people covered up and
they're saying no provocative displays.

Speaker 1 (04:05):
All right, Well, good luck in the Q for the
trial tomorrow. Nice to see Catherine Field in France. I
was only at the Baftis photos yesterday and I'm a
big fashion fan, but I first of all, maybe I'm
naive but I didn't realize the baftis were for a
bunch of try hards. I thought it was relatively serious,
and all these losers from reality television turned up wearing
next to nothing, and I'm thinking, what a bunch of
low rent tosses. Anyway, sounded almost like a prude, don't I.

(04:29):
So why Mike is putin massing troops on the border
of Finland. My suspicion at the moment is its reaction
to Finland and Sweden joining NATO. He said he would
react if that happened. It did, so he is. He's
putting up a few tents. I don't think it's going anywhere.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
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