Ukraine and Russia Set for Peace Talks: What’s Next in the Ongoing Conflict?
Ukraine's Readiness for Peace Negotiations
Kyiv: Ukraine is poised to restart direct peace discussions with Russia in Istanbul on Monday, as confirmed by a senior advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This announcement follows a period of uncertainty regarding Ukraine's participation in the proposed meeting by Moscow.
Ukrainian representatives have emphasized the necessity for the Kremlin to provide a promised memorandum detailing its stance on concluding the ongoing conflict, which has persisted for over three years, before any negotiations commence.
Andrii Yermak, a key advisor, stated, “Ukraine is prepared to join the upcoming meeting, but we seek a constructive dialogue.” He highlighted the importance of receiving Russia's draft, asserting that four days are ample time for the necessary documents to be prepared and sent.
Ukraine and its European allies have consistently accused the Kremlin of stalling peace initiatives while attempting to leverage its larger military presence to gain more territory.
Western allies, including the United States, are pressing Moscow to agree to an unconditional ceasefire, a proposal that Ukraine supports, while the Kremlin continues to seek terms that are more favorable to them.
Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine's foreign minister, reiterated on Friday that Kyiv is awaiting clarification from Russia regarding its proposals ahead of the next round of discussions.
He expressed, “We aim to conclude this war within the year. We are open to establishing a ceasefire, whether it lasts 30, 50, or 100 days, and are willing to discuss this directly with Russia.” This statement was made during a joint press conference in Kyiv with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Sybiha and Fidan also indicated the possibility of a future meeting involving Presidents Zelenskyy and Putin, potentially including US President Donald Trump. Fidan suggested that the ongoing peace efforts in Istanbul could culminate in such a meeting.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Friday that a Russian delegation would travel to Istanbul, ready to participate in the second round of talks scheduled for June 2.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had previously invited Ukraine to engage in direct negotiations on that date, stating that the upcoming meeting would outline Moscow's position on addressing the fundamental causes of the conflict. Russian officials have indicated that this document is forthcoming.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov remarked that while Ukraine is not against further direct discussions with Russia, they would be meaningless if Moscow does not clarify its terms. Umerov mentioned that he had personally delivered a document outlining Ukraine's position to the Russian side.
Low-level delegations from both nations held their first direct peace talks in three years in Istanbul on May 16. Although the two-hour discussions did not yield significant breakthroughs, both sides agreed to the largest prisoner exchange of the war, which took place last weekend, releasing 1,000 captives from each side.
Fidan expressed optimism that the successful exchange demonstrated that negotiations could lead to tangible outcomes.
He concluded, “We face two choices: either we ignore the ongoing war or we strive for lasting peace by the end of the year.”