Russia and Ukraine Prepare for New Peace Talks Amid Growing Tensions
Russia announced on Wednesday, May 28, that it seeks to hold new discussions with Ukraine in Istanbul next Monday, aiming to present a plan for a peace settlement. However, Ukraine has insisted that it must review Russia's proposal in advance for the talks to be productive. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing three-year conflict have intensified in recent months, yet Moscow continues to reject calls for an unconditional ceasefire and appears unyielding in its maximalist demands.
The last direct meeting between the two nations occurred in Istanbul on May 16, but it failed to produce a significant breakthrough. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been advocating for a peace deal, expressed increasing frustration with Russia's apparent stalling and signaled he would assess within two weeks whether President Vladimir Putin is genuinely committed to ending the fighting.
Ukraine claims it has already submitted its own peace terms to Russia and is awaiting a similar response. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated on social media that Kyiv is open to further negotiations and expects Moscow's memorandum to be ready for their review before the upcoming meeting.
'Moscow has at least four more days to provide us with their document for review. Diplomacy must be substantive, and the next gathering should yield tangible results.' Umerov emphasized.
Russia's offensive, which began in February 2022, has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties and significant destruction across eastern and southern Ukraine. Presently, Russian forces control approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that the country would present a memorandum outlining its peace terms during the talks set for June 2. Lavrov stated, 'Our delegation led by Vladimir Medinsky is prepared to present a memorandum to the Ukrainian side and to provide the necessary explanations during a second round of direct talks in Istanbul.' Medinsky, a Russian political scientist and former culture minister, has been leading the negotiations.
Despite talks, violence has escalated in recent weeks, with Ukraine launching one of its largest drone barrages against Russia and Moscow retaliating with heavy strikes across Ukraine. President Trump expressed disappointment regarding Russia's ongoing bombardment amidst negotiations but rejected calls for further sanctions on Moscow, stating, 'If I think I’m close to getting a deal, I don’t want to screw it up by taking such actions.'
Regarding a potential three-way summit involving Presidents Trump, Putin, and Zelensky, the Kremlin dismissed President Zelensky's proposal, insisting that any such meeting would only occur after concrete agreements have been reached between negotiators.
The demands from the Kremlin for peace include Ukraine abandoning its aspirations to join NATO and ceding control of territory already occupied by Russian forces, a condition that Ukraine finds unacceptable.
Earlier talks in Istanbul reportedly led to a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, and both sides agreed to work on their respective peace proposals. However, despite these negotiations, Russia has continued its attacks on Ukraine while rejecting all calls for a ceasefire.
In a press conference in Berlin alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, President Zelensky accused Russia of intentionally prolonging the peace process and not genuinely seeking to halt its offensive, stating, 'They will constantly look for reasons not to end the war.' Zelensky also noted that Russian forces are amassing over 50,000 troops on the front lines near the northeastern Sumy border, attempting to secure a buffer zone within Ukrainian territory.
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