As representatives from Ukraine and Russia prepare to meet in Istanbul for another round of peace talks, uncertainty looms over the prospects for a meaningful breakthrough. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has voiced concerns about Russia’s commitment to genuine progress, casting a shadow over the upcoming discussions.

Despite Moscow confirming its delegation’s attendance, Zelensky questioned the sincerity of their intentions, stating that Russia is doing everything it can to ensure the next possible meeting is fruitless.

Key Demands and Preparations

A critical point of contention remains Russia’s failure to provide its negotiating proposals to Ukraine. Kyiv insists on receiving these proposals as a prerequisite for productive discussions. Zelensky emphasized the importance of thorough readiness, asserting:

For a meeting to be meaningful, its agenda must be clear, and the negotiations must be properly prepared.
Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine

Ukraine has already submitted its own proposals, reaffirming its readiness for a full and unconditional ceasefire. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that Moscow’s conditions for a ceasefire would be a central topic of discussion in Turkey, though specifics remain undisclosed.

Background and Previous Attempts

The upcoming talks follow a previous round in Istanbul two weeks prior, which yielded no significant breakthroughs but did facilitate a prisoner of war swap. The broader context is Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022. Currently, Russia controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

recent Hostilities

In the lead-up to the talks, both sides reported a surge in military activity. On Friday night and Saturday morning, explosions were reported in various regions.

• Kherson region: Oleksandr Prokudin,head of the region’s military governance,reported three deaths and 10 injuries,alleging that the Russian military hit critical and social infrastructure and residential areas of settlements in the region.
• Sumy Region: One person was killed, and residents of 11 settlements were ordered to evacuate, bringing the total number of evacuated settlements to 213, according to local authorities.
• Kharkiv and Izyum: Officials reported at least one injury in explosions in these cities.
• Kursk Region (Russia): At least 14 people were injured in an explosion, according to acting local governor Alexander Khinshtein and Russia’s state-owned news agency, TASS.

Diplomatic Efforts and Perspectives

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reiterated Kyiv’s commitment to ending the war this year, emphasizing that Moscow must accept an unconditional ceasefire to enable broader negotiations.Sybiha highlighted that Kyiv had already sent its vision of future steps to Russia during a joint press conference with turkish counterpart hakan Fidan.

While Presidents Putin and Zelensky are not expected to attend the Monday talks, Turkey hopes to eventually host a high-level summit. Fidan stated:

We sincerely think it is time to bring President Trump, President Putin and President Zelensky to the table.
Hakan Fidan, Turkish Foreign Minister

Peskov clarified that Russia’s ceasefire proposals would remain confidential and that a high-level summit would onyl be considered after meaningful progress in preliminary discussions. He also welcomed comments from former U.S.Gen.Keith Kellogg,who described Russian concerns over NATO enlargement as fair, and suggested that Ukraine joining NATO was not currently feasible.

Kellogg noted that former President Trump was frustrated by Russia’s perceived intransigence but stressed the importance of maintaining negotiations.

On May 19, Trump and Putin reportedly had a two-hour phone call to discuss a U.S.-proposed ceasefire deal. trump described the call as having gone very well, adding that Russia and Ukraine would instantly start negotiations towards a ceasefire and an end to the war.

While Ukraine has publicly agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, Putin has only indicated that Russia will work with Ukraine to craft a memorandum on a possible future peace – a move criticized by Kyiv and its allies as a delaying tactic.

In a later, uncharacteristic rebuke, Trump called putin absolutely crazy and threatened U.S. sanctions following Moscow’s intensified drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently told Zelensky that Berlin would assist Kyiv in producing long-range missiles for defense against future Russian attacks. The Kremlin responded that lifting range restrictions on missiles used by Ukraine would be a dangerous change in policy that would undermine peace efforts.