Kremlin issue major update on Putin's meeting with Zelensky for Ukraine peace talks

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed readiness to engage in high-level peace talks, including a possible trilateral summit involving himself, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Russia has proposed holding peace negotiations with Ukraine in the coming days and has extended an invitation for direct talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on Monday, June 2. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the proposed meeting in a video statement, where he said Moscow plans to present a memorandum outlining the terms of a potential ceasefire and Russia’s position on addressing the root causes of the ongoing conflict.

Lavrov confirmed that the Russian delegation would be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. "We hope that all parties genuinely committed to advancing peace will support this new round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul," he said.

The first direct talks between Ukraine and Russia were held on May 16 in Istanbul, though President Putin did not attend. Lavrov later told a Kremlin security summit that Russia would again insist Ukraine repeal all “discriminatory laws” in the upcoming round of talks.

"During the May 16 negotiations, we pushed for the abolition of all discriminatory legislation," Lavrov said. "We will continue to raise this demand in the next round, which will be announced shortly. For years—before and after the launch of the special military operation—we have advocated resolving issues through dialogue and diplomacy."

Ukraine has indicated that it is not opposed to renewed discussions. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov emphasized the need for Russia to present its memorandum ahead of any future meeting.

"Ukraine remains committed to a full and unconditional ceasefire and is open to continued diplomatic efforts," Umerov said. "However, we expect the Russian side to submit its memorandum in advance so the meeting can be productive and not merely symbolic. They still have at least four days to share the document."

The initial round of direct talks earlier this month led to the largest prisoner exchange since the war began, involving 1,000 individuals. Still, Ukraine's broader goal of achieving an unconditional ceasefire remains unmet.

Kyiv has made clear it will not agree to any deal that involves ceding territory, including Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. Currently, Moscow controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Additionally, Russia is demanding assurances that Ukraine will not pursue NATO membership as part of any agreement.

A senior Ukrainian official remarked on the May 16 talks, saying, “The main outcome was that Putin simply bought time. It became clear to everyone that he was stalling, a move that frustrated President Trump. Putin continues to blame Ukraine and the EU for delays, even as he claims to seek peace.”

The official added that Putin plans to make overtures to the United States, accusing Washington of acting not just against Russia, but also against Europe. “He doesn’t actually want the war to end,” they said. “Doing so would mean the collapse of his regime.”