Russia and Ukraine are set to hold the next round of peace talks in Istanbul on June 2, aiming to move closer to ending the ongoing conflict. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Wednesday that Ukraine is anticipating a peace memorandum from Russia ahead of the meeting.
“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,” Umerov wrote in a Facebook post. He mentioned that Ukraine has already provided its own document outlining their position to the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky.
The upcoming talks in Istanbul will mark the first direct negotiations between the two nations since March 2022. The previous meeting, held on May 16, showed a willingness from both sides to engage in dialogue.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed hope for a sustainable peace settlement, stating, “We hope that all those who are sincerely, and not just in words, interested in the success of the peace process will support holding a new round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul.”
Lavrov also held a call with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss Moscow’s preparations for the proposed talks and the implementation of recent agreements between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden. Lavrov emphasized that Moscow is finalizing proposals for the next round of negotiations with Kyiv.
Blinken reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to swiftly ending the conflict and expressed readiness to assist in bringing the sides closer together. “The parties confirmed their mutual commitment to continuing a constructive and mutually respectful dialogue between the foreign policy departments of Russia and the United States,” read a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
