Russia and Ukraine are gearing up for a fresh round of direct peace talks in Istanbul starting on Monday as a result of growing international force and growing skepticism about Moscow’s purposes. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called US State Secretary Marco Rubio to let him know that Moscow was working on its meet ideas. In a video statement released by the international ministry, Lavrov stated that “our group, led by Vladimir Medinsky, is ready to provide a document to the Russian delegation and provide the necessary theories during a second round of primary talks in Istanbul on Monday, June 2.” While open to dialogue, Kyiv demands that Russia agree to its peace conditions in order to prevent a new, pointless conflict. Rustem Umerov, the head of negotiations for the past square in May, said,” We are not opposed to more discussions with the Russians and are eagerly awaiting their memorandum.” The Soviet side will have at least four more time to review their report before leaving. The last round of face-to-face discussions, which took place on May 16 in Istanbul, was the first in more than three years, but it came to an end without a solution.” Diplomacy must be substantial, and the next meeting must yield results,” said one participant. Ukraine claims to have already made its peace requirements and that any negotiations may be based on mutual respect and concern. Russia pushes its own demands, including one that Ukraine deems Ukraine’s request to renounce its membership in NATO and cede territory that it now controls undesirable. In recent days, tensions have increased on the battlefield, with Russia and Ukraine both launching dangerous strikes in response. Donald Trump, the US senator, has been attempting to broker a peace deal, and he is getting increasingly frustrated with Russia’s activities. He expressed his disappointment with Russia’s ongoing bombing of the talks to reporters on Wednesday, saying that it was “very disappointing.” Trump rebuffed calling for tougher sanctions on Moscow, saying,” If I think I’m close to getting a deal, I don’t want to screw it up by doing that.” Russia rejected a request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a multilateral conference with Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying for a conference may only occur when material contracts are reached in conversations. At a press conference in Berlin along with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Selenskyy accused Russia of purposefully dragging the peace process along. They will constantly look for reasons not to end the war, he said. He also expressed concern about a recent military expansion, claiming that Moscow is stationed near the Sumy region on Ukraine’s northeastern border with more than 50 000 troops. Several settlements in the area have been taken over by Russian forces, with the goal of creating what Putin has called a “buffer zone” inside Ukrainian territory. Tens of thousands of lives have been lost in the third year of the conflict, which has also devasted much of eastern and southern Ukraine. Around a fifth of Ukraine’s territory is currently under Russian control, including Crimea, which was annexed in 2014, including the latter.
