Ukraine and Russia set for Istanbul talks second round on Monday

Under nan increasing unit from nan US President, Moscow projected a caller information of nonstop talks pinch Ukraine successful Istanbul adjacent Monday. 

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia hopes this connection will beryllium supported by "all those who are sincerely, and not conscionable successful words, willing successful nan occurrence of nan bid process."

The connection comes aft Russia launched its largest-ever aerial onslaught connected Ukraine, firing hundreds of drones and missiles for a fewer days successful a row.

Lavrov said he besides talked to nan US Secretary of State and presented him Moscow’s "specific proposals" for nan adjacent information of negotiations. 

The Russian overseas ministry issued a connection saying Lavrov "informed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio astir implementing nan 19 May agreements betwixt President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of nan United States Donald Trump."  

No much specifications were fixed astir what precisely those agreements see and what is successful Moscow’s "specific proposals".

On 19 May Trump and Putin had a telephone telephone successful which nan Russian president said he voiced "his readiness to discuss a memorandum regarding a imaginable early bid treaty."

However, Putin said he rejected nan thought of a ceasefire arsenic nan first measurement to a early bid agreement, while reiterating Moscow’s demands.

During nan call, Putin besides promised Trump that Russia would nutrient a "memorandum" for nan early agreement, while Ukraine prepared 1 arsenic well. 

What is successful nan ‘peace memorandum’?

After nan first information of talks successful Istanbul connected 16 May, Ukraine and Russia were expected to hole their memoranda, mounting retired their positions. 

Kyiv said it has submitted its bid position archive and insisted that Russia do nan aforesaid earlier further talks. 

Ukraine’s defence minister, who led nan delegation successful Turkey, said, "We are not opposed to further meetings pinch nan Russians and are awaiting their memorandum," adding that nan Kyiv delegation has not received thing from Moscow yet. 

“The Russian broadside has astatine slightest 4 much days earlier their departure to supply america pinch their archive for review. Diplomacy must beryllium substantive, and nan adjacent gathering must output results”, Rustem Umerov said connected Wednesday.  

However, Moscow insists connected presenting it only successful Istanbul connected Monday and not before. Lavrov said nan Russian delegation was "ready to coming a memorandum to nan Ukrainian delegation and supply nan basal explanations during a 2nd information of nonstop talks successful Istanbul connected Monday, 2 June."

He added that nan Moscow squad has "promptly drafted a corresponding memorandum, which lays retired our position connected each aspects of reliably overcoming nan guidelines causes of nan crisis."

The Kremlin has been utilizing nan word "root causes" successful nan run-up to its full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful early 2022 and many times refers to them to warrant its all-out warfare against nan neighbouring country. 

Among different maximalist demands, Moscow includes successful what it sees arsenic "root causes" Kyiv’s withdrawal from 4 partially occupied Ukrainian regions it claimed to person annexed, including nan territories Moscow ne'er controlled. 

Reportedly, Russia’s caller memorandum besides includes a written promise that NATO will not grow further eastward, efficaciously blocking Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova from joining.

According to reports, Moscow besides demands lifting of immoderate Western sanctions and solution of stiff Russian assets, arsenic good arsenic nan antecedently stated goals for illustration "the protection of Russian-speaking Ukrainians".

Russia has many times grounded to supply actual impervious of Ukraine putting immoderate unit connected its citizens regarding nan usage of language.

Notably, Moscow has shown nary readiness for concessions, alternatively insisting that Kyiv must cede its territories and wantonness its aspirations for EU and NATO membership. 

No gathering betwixt nan presidents

The Kremlin has not commented connected whether Putin will work together to a gathering pinch his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy astatine immoderate shape of nan negotiating process. 

The gathering successful Istanbul is expected to person nan aforesaid delegations arsenic nan first one, pinch nan Kyiv squad led by Ukraine’s Defence Minister Umerov and nan Moscow delegation headed by Putin’s adjutant Vladimir Medinsky.

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s president said he is fresh for a trilateral gathering pinch Trump and Putin, Ukraine’s nationalist broadcaster Suspilne reported. 

"We are fresh to meet astatine nan level of leaders. The American broadside knows this, and nan Russian broadside knows this. We are fresh for nan 'Trump, Putin, and me' format, and we are fresh for nan Trump-Putin, Trump-Zelensky format, and past nan 3 of us," Zelenskyy said. 

He besides added that respective venues are being considered for early talks betwixt Ukraine, Russia and nan US, peculiarly Turkey, Switzerland, and nan Vatican.

The US president has been expanding his unit connected Putin complete nan past week, albeit stopping short of issuing caller sanctions against Russia. 

On Wednesday, Trump seemingly issued a deadline for Russia’s president to make advancement connected ceasefire negotiations pinch Ukraine. 

When asked whether he thinks Putin is superior astir a bid deal, Trump said, "I’ll fto you cognize successful astir 2 weeks."