Russia today proposed a second round of direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on June 2, to submit its "memorandum" outlining Russia's conditions for a lasting peace agreement.
"Our delegation, headed by (Vladimir) Medinsky, is ready to present this memorandum to the Ukrainian delegation and provide the necessary explanations during the second round of direct negotiations that continue in Istanbul on June 2," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
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Medinsky led the Russian delegation to the May 16 talks in Istanbul. These were the first direct peace talks between Kiev and Moscow since the spring of 2022, the beginning of a major Russian offensive in Ukraine.
The May 16 talks in Istanbul did not result in a major breakthrough in finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict, but the two sides committed to a prisoner exchange, in a 1.000-for-1.000 format, which was completed last weekend.
Kyiv has not yet responded to that proposal.
The Kremlin earlier today rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's proposal for a trilateral summit with his Russian and US counterparts, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, to advance peace talks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has set conditions for ending the war in Ukraine, including a demand that Western leaders commit in writing not to expand NATO eastward and lift some sanctions imposed on Russia, three sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.
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