The negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine and the Russian Federation in Istanbul have concluded, as announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to the head of state, the aggressor should receive no rewards for the war, and any concessions would only encourage further aggression.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Zelensky Emphasized the Importance of Supporting Ukraine
“The negotiations in Istanbul have just concluded… The aggressor should receive no rewards for the war. Putin should not gain anything that could justify his aggression. Any reward for him only shows that (this is a way) to gain dividends,” he stated in Vilnius.
The president also emphasized that geopolitical gains for Russia are as significant as territorial or financial ones. He warned that if Putin is allowed to influence NATO membership issues or the placement of NATO infrastructure, it will only strengthen the Kremlin’s aggressive intentions.
The negotiations in Istanbul lasted about an hour. According to the Ukrainian leader, diplomatic efforts must be effective; otherwise, there will be a need to strengthen sanctions against Russia. Zelensky stressed that diplomacy should not be “empty” and added that in the absence of progress, new pressure measures on the aggressor should be taken.
Negotiations Accompanied by New Military Developments
It is worth noting that the negotiations took place the day after a large-scale attack by Ukrainian drones on strategic military targets deep within Russia. The Ukrainian side reported hitting dozens of aircraft, which dealt a significant blow to the enemy’s aviation.
The initiative to resume negotiations came at the insistence of former U.S. President Donald Trump. In May, Moscow and Kyiv agreed to direct contacts for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion, but significant progress towards peace has not yet been achieved.
On June 1, Zelensky held a meeting with key government and security officials, including Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who leads the Ukrainian delegation at the negotiations in Istanbul, as well as the Foreign Minister, heads of the President’s Office, intelligence, and military. The president outlined expectations from the meeting and emphasized that the Ukrainian side proposes a complete and unconditional ceasefire, as well as other steps that could ensure lasting peace. According to Zelensky, the Ukrainian proposal is logical and realistic.
At the same time, the Russian Federation did not provide its “memorandum” to either Ukraine, Turkey, or the U.S. President Zelensky stated that despite the lack of specific proposals from the Kremlin, Ukraine will attempt to move forward on the path to peace.
According to Reuters, among the proposals from the Ukrainian side is the refusal of commitments regarding neutral status and the non-recognition of occupied territories as Russian.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced plans to hold a second round of negotiations in Istanbul on June 2. He noted that the Russian delegation intends to present a developed memorandum regarding the peace agreement, which will be presented by Russian President’s aide Vladimir Medinsky.
The Kremlin refused to share its conditions with Ukraine prior to the negotiations, which drew criticism in Kyiv. President Zelensky emphasized that such a position indicates an attempt to make the negotiations “empty.”