Russia has proposed a new round of direct peace talks with Ukraine to be held in Istanbul on June 2, aiming to revive negotiations amid growing international pressure to end the ongoing conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasized Moscow’s readiness to present a peace memorandum and urged global support for a diplomatic breakthrough.
Ukraine signaled openness to dialogue but insisted it would only proceed if Russia submits its peace terms in advance. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed Kyiv is awaiting the Russian memorandum and emphasized the need for a substantive exchange ahead of the proposed meeting.
The proposal follows the stalled May 16 talks in Istanbul, where no ceasefire agreement was reached. Russia maintains that certain preconditions must be met before halting hostilities. Lavrov also briefed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the planned negotiations and Moscow’s preparations, following a recent call between Presidents Putin and Trump, in which Putin expressed openness to formalizing a peace accord.
Russian officials, including top negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, said they are ready for “essential, substantive discussion” at the upcoming meeting, where both sides are expected to present detailed proposals for a ceasefire and long-term settlement framework.
For more details, visit the Russian Foreign Ministry or Ukrainian Ministry of Defence.
