As renewed peace talks between Ukraine and Russia approach in Istanbul, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed deep skepticism about Moscow’s intentions, accusing the Kremlin of undermining the negotiation process.
On Friday, Russia confirmed it would send a delegation to Istanbul for Monday’s discussions, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that Russia’s conditions for a ceasefire would be on the agenda. However, Kyiv has yet to receive any formal negotiating proposals from Moscow — a critical step for talks to proceed meaningfully, according to Ukrainian officials.
“Moscow is doing everything it can to ensure the next possible meeting is fruitless,” Zelensky said in a public statement. “For a meeting to be meaningful, its agenda must be clear, and the negotiations must be properly prepared.”
Ukraine, he added, had already submitted its proposals to Russia and reaffirmed its readiness for a “full and unconditional ceasefire.”
The last round of negotiations in Istanbul two weeks ago yielded no major breakthrough but did result in a prisoner swap. Since then, hostilities have continued, with Russia maintaining control of about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the annexed Crimean Peninsula.
Over the weekend, fresh explosions were reported in both countries. Russia’s state-owned TASS agency confirmed that at least seven people were injured in a blast in the Kursk region, while Ukrainian authorities said shelling in Kharkiv and Izyum left one person wounded.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reiterated Kyiv’s commitment to peace on Friday, saying Ukraine had already presented its “vision of future steps” to Moscow. “Russia must accept an unconditional ceasefire,” he said during a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. “We are interested in seeing these meetings continue because we want the war to end this year.”
Neither Zelensky nor Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend Monday’s talks in person. However, Fidan expressed hopes that Turkey could eventually host a high-level summit. “We sincerely think it is time to bring President Trump, President Putin, and President Zelensky to the table,” he said.
Peskov noted that Russia’s ceasefire proposals would remain confidential for now and warned that a summit could only occur if preliminary talks yielded “meaningful progress.”
Meanwhile, the Kremlin welcomed comments from retired Gen. Keith Kellogg, envoy of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently described Russia’s concerns about NATO expansion as “fair.” Kellogg added that Ukraine’s NATO membership aspirations — a key sticking point for Moscow — were “not on the table.”
On May 19, Trump and Putin held a two-hour phone call to discuss a proposed U.S.-backed ceasefire. Trump later said the discussion went “very well,” suggesting negotiations toward ending the war would begin immediately. While Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, Putin has only expressed willingness to work on a memorandum regarding a “possible future peace” — a position Kyiv and its allies view as a stalling tactic.
Following intensified Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, Trump publicly rebuked Putin, calling him “absolutely crazy” and threatening new sanctions — a rare public condemnation of the Russian leader.
Germany’s new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has also stepped up support for Ukraine, assuring Zelensky that Berlin would help Kyiv develop long-range missile capabilities to defend itself. In response, the Kremlin warned that lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s missile use would mark a dangerous shift, potentially derailing ongoing peace efforts.
Chioma Kalu
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