Vladimir
Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation in Istanbul for potential
peace talks with Ukraine, speaks to the media, in Istanbul, Turkey, May
15, 2025. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Russia proposes to hold next talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on June 2
MOSCOW,
May 28 (Reuters) - Russia has proposed holding the next round of direct
talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on June 2 with a view to achieving a
sustainable peace settlement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
said on Wednesday.
There was no immediate reaction from Kyiv.
Under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump
to end the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War Two, delegates
from the warring countries met earlier this month in Istanbul for the
first time since March 2022, the month after Russia sent troops to its neighbour.
The
May 16 talks failed to reach agreement on a ceasefire, as sought by
Kyiv and its Western allies. Moscow said certain conditions must be met
before such a move was possible.
"We
hope that all those who are sincerely, and not just in words,
interested in the success of the peace process will support holding a
new round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul," Lavrov
said in a statement.
Russian
President Vladimir Putin, after a call with Trump on May 19, said that
Moscow was ready to work with Ukraine on a memorandum about a future
peace accord.
Earlier
on Wednesday, Vladimir Medinsky, the head of Russia's delegation at
peace talks on Ukraine, said on the Telegram messaging app that he had
called Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov with proposals for the
date and venue of the next meeting.
"Let
me emphasise: right there, on the spot, we are ready to begin an
essential, substantive discussion of each of the points of the package
agreement on a possible ceasefire," he said.
Medinsky said he expected a reply from Ukraine.
Separately,
Russian foreign ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was
agreed that Russia and Ukraine would each prepare their vision of
"modalities of settlement and ceasefire" and would discuss and exchange
the documents at the next round of talks.
Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Maxim Rodionov Editing by Gareth Jones