Peace Talks Between Ukraine and Russia

Ukraine’s president is not sure Russia really wants peace talks. Russia said it will send people to a meeting in Turkey.

Ukraine wants Russia to send peace ideas, but Russia hasn’t done that yet. Ukraine has already sent its ideas and wants to stop the war completely.

Russia took some parts of Ukraine, including Crimea, and started a big war in 2022. Ukraine still wants peace talks, and both countries had a meeting before, but nothing big happened.

Turkey hopes the leaders from the US, Russia, and Ukraine can talk. But they are not coming to the next meeting yet.

The US said it had a good phone talk with Russia and hopes the war will stop soon. Ukraine agrees to stop fighting for 30 days. Russia said it wants to work on peace, but Ukraine thinks Russia is using this time to take more land.

Germany said it will help Ukraine with missiles for defense. Russia says this could make peace talks harder.

Ukraine Questions Russia's Commitment to Peace Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has raised doubts about Russia's seriousness in negotiations after Russia confirmed it would send a delegation to Istanbul.

Ukraine has asked Russia to send clear proposals before the negotiation. Russia hasn’t done so yet. Zelensky said that for talks to be useful, there must be a clear plan and preparation.

The first negotiation in Istanbul two weeks ago did not bring a major result, but it did lead to a prisoner exchange. Russia currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian land.

Ukraine's foreign minister said they have already sent their proposal and want Russia to agree to a full ceasefire. Both Ukraine and Turkey want the negotiations to continue.

President Trump and President Putin had a phone call and discussed a possible US-backed ceasefire. Trump said it went well, and both sides agreed to begin working on peace.

Ukraine supports a 30-day ceasefire. Russia is talking about a possible peace plan but has not fully agreed. Some think Russia is using the delay to take more land.

Germany promised to help Ukraine make long-range missiles. Russia warned that allowing Ukraine to use longer-range weapons would hurt negotiation efforts.

Zelensky Casts Doubt on Russia's Intentions Ahead of Istanbul Peace Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed skepticism over Russia’s commitment to genuine peace talks, despite Moscow confirming a delegation will attend negotiations in Istanbul on Monday.

Zelensky criticized Russia for failing to submit formal negotiation proposals, calling for a clear agenda and well-prepared discussions. Ukraine, he noted, has already sent its peace proposal and is prepared for an unconditional ceasefire.

The initial talks held two weeks ago resulted in a prisoner swap but no significant diplomatic breakthrough. Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, currently occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the annexed region of Crimea.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reiterated Ukraine’s demand for an immediate ceasefire and called on Russia to take meaningful steps toward ending the conflict.

Though Presidents Putin and Zelensky are not attending the upcoming negotiation, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed hope that a future summit involving Trump, Putin, and Zelensky could take place in Turkey.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s ceasefire conditions would not be disclosed publicly and suggested a high-level summit would only happen if progress was made in lower-level talks.

The US facilitated a recent two-hour phone call between Trump and Putin to discuss a proposed ceasefire. Trump described the conversation as productive, and Ukraine has since publicly agreed to a 30-day ceasefire.

However, Russia has stopped short of a formal commitment, instead offering to work on a memorandum — a move criticized by Ukraine and its allies as a delaying tactic to aid its ongoing invasion.

Trump later condemned Putin's intransigence, labeling him "absolutely crazy" after Russia launched major drone and missile strikes on Ukraine. He also warned of possible US sanctions.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged missile support to Ukraine, a move Russia said would dangerously alter military policy and hurt peace efforts.