The EU is preparing new sanctions on Russia despite a potential meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, three sources told CNBC.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is prepared to meet Vladimir Putin this week, shortly after US President Donald Trump urged him to “immediately” accept the Russian leader’s offer to hold peace talks in Turkey.

The European Union expects that the Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin will be ready to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday 15 May, and is also prepared to impose additional sanctions on Russia if a ceasefire is not achieved.

Russia is not responding to Ukraine's proposal for a meeting in Istanbul. And this silence is very strange, states Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The head of state reminded that he had negotiations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Iran is preparing for a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iran's government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani was quoted by Russia's state RIA news agency as saying on Monday.

A s president xi jinping stood shoulder to shoulder with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, watching Russian and Chinese soldiers marching across Red Square on May 9th, they could have been mistaken for equals.