Kyiv Says Moscow Withholding Peace Terms to Sabotage Talks

Ukraine said on May 30 that it did not expect any results from talks with Russia in Istanbul unless Moscow provided its peace terms in advance.

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KYIV -

It also accused the Kremlin of doing "everything" it could to sabotage the potential meeting.

Diplomatic efforts to end the war have accelerated in recent weeks, with both sides meeting for their first round of direct talks in more than three years earlier in May.

Moscow said it was sending a team of negotiators to Istanbul for a second round on June 2, but Kyiv has yet to confirm if it will attend.

"For over a week now, the Russians have been unable to present the so-called memorandum," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X, referring to a document Russia says it has prepared outlining its conditions for peace.

"For a meeting to be meaningful, its agenda must be clear, and the negotiations must be properly prepared," he added. "Unfortunately, Russia is doing everything it can to ensure that the next potential meeting brings no results."

Russia says it will provide the memorandum at the talks in person on June 2.