Russia has proposed to Ukraine a second round of peace talks, aiming to exchange written proposals for a ceasefire and an end to the war. Ukrainian officials see this move as a way to placate US President Donald Trump, who has been growing frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In response to Russia’s proposal, Ukraine provided Moscow with a document outlining its path to a ceasefire, negotiations, confidence-building measures, and a leader-level meeting. However, the Ukrainian side is not opposed to further talks but wants to see a corresponding document from the Russian side first.
Russian adviser Vladimir Medinsky proposed the Istanbul meeting, saying that Russia is ready to engage in substantive discussions on each point of the package agreement for a future ceasefire. US President Trump has been urging Russia to bomb Ukraine’s cities and reject his ceasefire push, but he will not take any action despite his frustration.
The latest talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul two weeks ago but showed no clear progress. The first round of direct peace talks was met with disappointment from both sides. Despite the lack of progress, US President Trump remains optimistic that his personal involvement can break the logjam in diplomatic efforts.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/05/28/russia-propose-ukraine-peace-talks-istanbul