Following Russia's proposal for a second round of peace talks in Turkey, Ukraine has expressed conditional agreement to meet, insisting that the Kremlin must provide its peace terms prior to negotiations.
Both nations, entrenched in the ongoing war, are preparing for a follow-up meeting scheduled in Istanbul. The initial talks in Istanbul resulted in an agreement for both sides to draft memoranda outlining their respective peace conditions. On May 28, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested the second round would take place on June 2.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, leader of Ukraine's first-round delegation, emphasized that Ukraine will engage in the talks only if Russia submits its proposed peace memorandum before June 2. This precondition contrasts with Lavrov’s indication that Russia intends to present its terms during the second meeting.
Umerov stated on Facebook: "We are not opposed to further meetings with the Russians and are awaiting their 'memorandum' so that the meeting won't be empty and can truly move us closer to ending the war. The Russian side has at least four more days before their departure to provide us with their document for review." Ukraine has previously affirmed its willingness to agree to an unconditional ceasefire, while Russia insists on addressing the conflict's underlying causes prior to any cessation of hostilities.
Adding to the diplomatic developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that during a meeting at the Vatican, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed readiness to impose sanctions on Russia should Moscow refuse to agree to a ceasefire. Zelenskyy described the discussion as positive, viewing it as confirmation of U.S. support for strong sanctions against Russia if Putin declines to halt hostilities.
In response, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov criticized Trump’s awareness of the situation, asserting in a televised interview that Russian attacks target only military and infrastructure objectives. The international community awaits the outcome of the proposed second Istanbul round to assess prospects for peace progress.
