Kremlin Awaits Ukraines Confirmation on Istanbul Peace Talks Date

The Kremlin announced on Thursday that it is awaiting Ukraine’s confirmation regarding its participation in the proposed second round of peace talks scheduled for next week in Turkey.

«So far, as far as I know, we haven’t received any response,» Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed the press. «We must wait for Ukraine to respond. Only then can we proceed.»

Russian and Ukrainian representatives last convened in Istanbul on May 16, marking their first direct discussions since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Although both parties agreed on facilitating their largest prisoner exchange to date, no significant progress was made towards establishing a comprehensive ceasefire.

Following a call on May 19 with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has advocated for a resolution since assuming office, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow was ready to collaborate with Kyiv on a «memorandum» detailing the terms for a peace agreement.

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov asserted that Moscow was prepared to present its proposal during the upcoming Istanbul meeting. However, just last week, he expressed skepticism about any accord signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, citing what Moscow refers to as “issues of legitimacy.”

Putin and other Russian officials have consistently asserted that Zelensky’s presidency is no longer legitimate, as his five-year term technically concluded in May 2024. However, Ukraine’s constitution prohibits elections during martial law, which was declared following Russia’s invasion in 2022.

Chief Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky stated late Wednesday that he had suggested the date and location for the second round of talks during a phone call with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who responded that Kyiv would consider the proposition.

In a post on X, Umerov noted that he provided Russia with a memorandum outlining Ukraine’s perspective on a ceasefire agreement and is awaiting Moscow to honor its commitment to present its own after completing the most recent prisoner exchange, which was finalized on Sunday.

«We urge them to fulfill that promise promptly and to refrain from turning the meeting into a fruitless endeavor,» Umerov wrote.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha supported these statements, calling on Moscow to submit its memorandum «after 10 days of deliberation and assaults.»

«Only a well-organized meeting has the potential to yield significant outcomes,» he remarked.

Earlier this week, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, mentioned that Washington has received Ukraine’s memorandum and is waiting for Russia’s response to «integrate them.»

Peskov told reporters on Thursday that it is «unproductive» to pressure Russia regarding its proposal, adding, “You either confirm your readiness to continue negotiations or do the opposite.»

He remarked that it is premature to discuss Moscow’s next actions if Kyiv decides not to participate in next week’s talks.

Reported by AFP.