Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has questioned Russia’s commitment to peace talks after Moscow confirmed its team would attend negotiations in Istanbul on Monday. Despite sending a delegation, Russia has yet to share its negotiating proposals with Ukraine.
Zelensky claimed that Russia is “doing everything it can” to ensure the next meeting fails. For a meaningful discussion, an agenda must be clear and both sides prepared.
Ukraine had sent its own peace proposals to Russia, emphasizing its readiness for a full and unconditional ceasefire. However, Russia’s conditions remain unclear, sparking concerns that Moscow may be delaying tactics.
The talks are unlikely to feature Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky, but Turkey hopes to eventually host a high-level summit involving Trump, Putin, and Zelensky. US envoy Keith Kellogg said Russia’s concerns over NATO enlargement are “fair,” but emphasized the need for negotiations to continue.
Russia has not shared its ceasefire proposals with Ukraine, leading Kyiv to accuse Moscow of delaying tactics. Germany’s new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, promised to help produce long-range missiles for Ukraine’s defense. However, Berlin fears that relaxing range restrictions on these missiles would harm efforts to end the war.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93yv5zpk1ko