Russia Proposes June 2 Peace Talks with Ukraine in Istanbul to Present Draft Peace Memorandum

Report by Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

Russia has officially invited Ukraine to attend a fresh round of direct peace talks in Istanbul on June 2, where Moscow plans to present a comprehensive peace memorandum outlining its conditions for ending the conflict. The announcement was made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday.

Lavrov confirmed that the long-promised document, containing Russia’s detailed proposals for a peace settlement, is complete and ready for submission during the upcoming negotiations.

“We call on all parties genuinely committed to peace to support this new round of direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations,” Lavrov stated.

In response, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said Kyiv remains open to negotiations but emphasized that Russia must submit its peace proposal ahead of time to ensure the talks are productive.

“We await the memorandum from Russia for review before June 2,” Umerov posted on social media. “We are not against meeting, but transparency is key.”

The proposed talks come amid growing international pressure, especially from U.S. President Donald Trump, to resolve the war — now in its third year and the bloodiest in Europe since World War II. A previous round of Istanbul talks held on May 16 failed to produce a ceasefire, with Russia insisting that key conditions be met first.

Following Lavrov’s statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry revealed that Lavrov had briefed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Russia’s planned proposals for the June 2 meeting.

“Preparations for a detailed and serious negotiation package are underway,” the ministry noted, highlighting Moscow’s readiness to engage in constructive dialogue.

Russian peace negotiator Vladimir Medinsky also confirmed that he contacted Minister Umerov to propose both the venue and date for the next round of talks. Medinsky expressed readiness for “in-depth discussions” on all elements of a possible ceasefire.

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Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that both nations agreed to prepare and exchange their respective proposals for ceasefire modalities ahead of the talks.