Russia and Ukraine have no direct peace talks scheduled, according to a Kremlin spokesperson, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that they would start ceasefire negotiations “immediately.” The two sides had agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war in their last face-to-face meeting on May 16 but made little progress.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a “memorandum” outlining the framework for a possible future peace treaty, which Ukraine has rejected. Putin wants Kyiv to agree to a ceasefire and freeze Western arms shipments as part of a comprehensive settlement.
European leaders have criticized Putin for dragging his feet in peace efforts while pursuing military gains. Russia is reportedly preparing for a summer offensive to capture more Ukrainian land, according to analysts.
The ongoing conflict has seen both sides firing drones at each other’s territory daily, with Russia downing 105 Ukrainian drones on Wednesday and Ukraine targeting the Russian capital for the second night. The attacks have caused disruptions in Moscow’s transportation system and prompted some regions to shut off mobile internet signals.
Russia is also seeking to create a “security buffer zone” along its border with Ukraine to prevent Kyiv from striking areas inside Russia with artillery. However, Putin has not provided details on where the proposed buffer zone would be or how far it would stretch.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-peace-talks-prisoner-swap-f3ef84975c61cf7e1efe22e86fedbf5c