Ukraine ready for Russia peace talks in Istanbul but demands clarity on Kremlin's terms

Kyiv: Ukraine has agreed to attend a new round of direct peace talks with Russia, scheduled for Monday in Istanbul, but is demanding that the Kremlin provide a written memorandum outlining its position on ending the conflict.

Presidential adviser Andrii Yermak stated that Kyiv seeks constructive dialogue and has given Russia sufficient time to send its proposal.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha echoed this stance, noting that Ukraine is open to a ceasefire deal of any duration, from 30 to 100 days, but needs clarity before further negotiations. Both he and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hinted at the possibility of a future summit involving Presidents Zelenskyy, Putin, and possibly Donald Trump.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russia’s delegation will attend the June 2 talks in Istanbul. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier said Russia would use the meeting to present a formal outline addressing what Moscow sees as the war’s root causes.

While Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov warned that talks would be “empty” without concrete proposals from Moscow, he confirmed Ukraine has already handed over its terms. The previous round of talks on May 16 resulted in the largest prisoner swap of the war, freeing 1,000 captives on each side.

Turkey’s Hakan Fidan said the prisoner exchange showed that negotiations can yield real outcomes and expressed hope that a lasting peace deal could be reached before the end of the year.
(With AFP inputs)