Russian-Ukraine talks in Istanbul: Kyiv says ready for dialogue, but on set peace terms

Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Russia and Ukraine are gearing up for a new round of direct peace talks in Istanbul next Monday, amid growing international pressure and rising scepticism about Moscow’s intentions.Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov informed US state secretary Marco Rubio during a phone call that Moscow was finalising its proposals for the meeting. “Our delegation, led by Vladimir Medinsky, is ready to present a memorandum to the Ukrainian delegation and provide the necessary explanations during a second round of direct talks in Istanbul on Monday, June 2,” Lavrov said in a video statement released by the foreign ministry.Kyiv, while open to talks, is demanding that Russia submit its peace terms in advance to avoid another fruitless encounter. “We are not opposed to further meetings with the Russians and are awaiting their memorandum,” said Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov, who led negotiations during the previous round in May. “The Russian side has at least four more days before their departure to provide us with their document for review. Diplomacy must be substantive, and the next meeting must yield results.”The last round of face-to-face talks, held on May 16 in Istanbul, was the first such meeting in over three years but ended without a breakthrough.Ukraine claims it has already submitted its peace demands and insists that any negotiation must be based on mutual clarity and seriousness. Meanwhile, Russia continues to push its own conditions, including a demand for Kyiv to renounce its bid to join NATO and cede territory currently under Russian control, a proposal Ukraine considers unacceptable.Tensions remain rising on the battlefield in recent days, with Ukraine and Moscow responding engaging in deadly strikes.US President Donald Trump, who has been trying to broker a peace agreement, expressed growing frustration with Russia’s actions. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, he said he was “very disappointed” by Russia’s continued bombardment during ongoing negotiations. “If I think I’m close to getting a deal, I don’t want to screw it up by doing that,” Trump said, dismissing calls for tougher sanctions on Moscow.Despite the heightened diplomacy, Russia rejected a proposal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a trilateral summit with Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying such a meeting could only happen once concrete agreements are reached in negotiations.Zelenskyy, speaking at a press conference in Berlin alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, accused Russia of deliberately dragging out the peace process. “They will constantly look for reasons not to end the war,” he said.He also warned of a fresh military buildup, claiming Moscow is amassing more than 50,000 troops near the Sumy region on Ukraine’s northeastern border. Russian forces have reportedly seized several settlements in the area, aiming to establish what Putin has described as a “buffer zone” inside Ukrainian territory.The war, now in its third year, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and devastated much of eastern and southern Ukraine. Russia currently controls around a fifth of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, which was annexed back in 2014.