Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday welcomed an offer from his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for direct negotiations, but insisted that a ceasefire backed by European leaders should take effect on Monday. "It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war," Zelensky wrote on X. "The entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire." The Ukrainian leader said "there is