Under growing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, Russia has proposed a new round of direct talks with Ukraine, set to take place in Istanbul next Monday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow hopes the proposal will receive backing from those genuinely invested in the success of the peace process.
This announcement follows one of Russia's largest aerial attacks on Ukraine, which involved hundreds of drones and missiles targeting various locations over several days. Lavrov revealed that he had communicated with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, presenting Moscow’s "specific proposals" for the upcoming negotiations.
The Russian foreign ministry noted that Lavrov informed Rubio about implementing agreements made on May 19 between President Vladimir Putin and President Trump, though specific details of these agreements were not disclosed. During that phone call, Putin expressed readiness to negotiate a memorandum regarding a potential future peace treaty but rejected the idea of a ceasefire as a prerequisite for such discussions.
Following the initial round of talks in Istanbul on May 16, both Ukraine and Russia were expected to prepare memoranda outlining their respective positions. Ukraine has already submitted its peace terms document, insisting that Russia must reciprocate before further discussions can proceed. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated that they remain open to further meetings but are still waiting for Russia’s memorandum.
Lavrov mentioned that the Russian delegation is ready to present its memorandum during the upcoming talks in Istanbul on June 2. The Kremlin has repeatedly referred to the “root causes” of the crisis, which include demands for Ukraine to withdraw from four partially occupied regions, halting NATO's eastward expansion, lifting certain Western sanctions, and ensuring the protection of Russian-speaking Ukrainians.
Russia has consistently failed to provide evidence of Ukraine pressuring its citizens regarding language use and has shown little willingness to make concessions, insisting on Ukraine ceding territories and abandoning aspirations for EU and NATO membership.
The upcoming meeting in Istanbul is expected to feature the same delegations as the previous round, with Umerov leading the Ukrainian team and Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinsky heading the Russian delegation. Zelenskyy has expressed readiness for a trilateral meeting involving Trump and Putin, with potential locations for future talks including Turkey, Switzerland, and the Vatican.
As diplomatic efforts continue, Trump has ramped up pressure on Putin regarding ceasefire negotiations but has not yet imposed additional sanctions against Russia. He indicated a potential deadline for Putin to demonstrate seriousness about peace talks, stating he would assess the situation in about two weeks.
