Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia has still not provided Ukraine and its international partners with its version of the so-called memorandum regarding the conditions for a ceasefire. According to the head of state, this indicates the Kremlin’s attempt to reduce negotiations to a formality and avoid real agreements.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Russia Delays the Process and Avoids Specifics
Zelensky emphasized that Russia is prolonging the war and trying to manipulate countries that are still attempting to influence Moscow through diplomatic means. He noted that the promised memorandum, which the Russian side allegedly prepared for more than a week, has not been received by either Ukraine, its Western partners, or even Turkey—the country that hosted the first meeting. The president added that the Russians made similar promises to the United States, particularly to President Donald Trump, but once again resorted to deception.
“Russia is prolonging the war and doing everything to simply deceive the countries that are still trying to influence Moscow with words rather than pressure. Words do not work with Moscow. Even the so-called ‘memorandum’ that they promised and supposedly prepared for more than a week has still not been seen by anyone. It has not been provided to Ukraine. It has not been provided to our partners. Even Turkey, as the country that hosted the first meeting, has also not received the new agenda. Although they promised the exact opposite, and primarily they promised this to the United States, to President Trump. Another Russian deception. They are doing everything to make the meetings empty,” the president stated in an evening address on May 29.
The President of Ukraine emphasized that such behavior from Russia is further evidence of the need to strengthen sanctions pressure on the Kremlin.
The Ukrainian Side Insists on Real Negotiations
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha urged the Russian Federation to provide its draft memorandum regarding the conditions for a ceasefire, emphasizing the need for transparency and openness in the dialogue. This came after a statement from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that the Russian side had completed work on the document regarding a peace treaty and proposed to hold a second round of negotiations in Istanbul on June 2.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov reported that the Ukrainian side had provided Russia with its own document outlining its position on the ceasefire. Meanwhile, the Kremlin on May 29 labeled the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s proposal as “unconstructive” and refused to disclose the conditions it plans to present in its draft memorandum. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that “all negotiations should take place in a closed, not public, format.”
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry believes that Russia’s unwillingness to provide its memorandum indicates the presence of unrealistic ultimatums that are unacceptable to the Ukrainian side.
It is worth noting that on May 16, negotiations took place in Istanbul between Ukraine and Russia; however, no significant progress was made. The parties only agreed on a prisoner exchange on the formula “one thousand for one thousand,” the last stage of which was completed on May 25. These were the first direct negotiations between the delegations of the two countries in three years. Ukraine insisted on establishing a 30-day ceasefire regime, but the Russian Federation did not abandon its territorial claims—recognition of sovereignty over four Ukrainian regions that it does not fully control, which it calls a basic condition for starting discussions on ending hostilities.