Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Scheduled Amid Escalating Drone Strikes
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Ukraine will send a delegation to Istanbul for a new round of direct peace talks with Russia on Monday, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Sunday, as the conflict rages on with deadly missile strikes and the largest drone assault of the three-year war.
Ukrainian negotiators plan to present a roadmap for a long-term peace settlement during the upcoming talks in Istanbul, according to a document reviewed by Reuters.
The proposal outlines an initial 30-day ceasefire as a first step, followed by the mutual return of prisoners and the repatriation of Ukrainian children taken to Russian-controlled territory.
A meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin would follow.
Newsweek has contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry and the office of President Zelensky for comment via email.
U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Presidential Office of Ukraine/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
Why It Matters
The talks come amid mounting tensions after a Ukrainian drone operation reportedly destroyed more than 40 military aircraft's from Putin's war machine deep inside Russian territory. A Ukrainian security official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said the drone strike targeted airfields including the Belaya air base in Irkutsk, located over 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) from Ukraine. It marks the first confirmed Ukrainian drone activity in the region.
What To Know
The official stated the long-range operation was planned over a period of 18 months and was personally overseen by President Zelensky. The drones, hidden in containers and transported by truck, reached their targets without being detected, according to Ukrainian sources.
Tu-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers—aircraft frequently used by Russia to launch long-range missile attacks on Ukraine—were among the targets hit, according to a source from Ukraine's domestic security agency, the SBU, who spoke to Reuters. The claim has not been independently verified.
Igor Kobzev, the governor of Russia's Irkutsk region, confirmed a drone attack on a military unit near the village of Sredny in the Usolsky district but did not refer to any damage involving strategic aviation assets.
Meanwhile, Russian forces launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine over the weekend. Ukraine's air force reported the deployment of 472 drones—the largest single-day barrage since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022—alongside seven missiles. A missile strike on a Ukrainian army training facility killed at least 12 service members and wounded over 60, military officials said.
Ukrainian drones are ready to be fired toward Russian positions in a shelter in Ukraine's Donetsk region on May 23, 2025.
Ukrainian drones are ready to be fired toward Russian positions in a shelter in Ukraine's Donetsk region on May 23, 2025.
Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP
Separately, Russian forces claimed control of the village of Oleksiivka in Ukraine's northern Sumy region. Ukrainian authorities have ordered mandatory evacuations in 11 surrounding settlements as Moscow intensifies its push in the north. Ukrainian military officials also cited continued Russian offensives in the Donetsk region, particularly near Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and Lyman.
As the military toll rises, President Zelenskyy confirmed that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will lead the Ukrainian delegation to the Istanbul talks.
What People Are Saying
Zelenskyy said on Telegram: "We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state and our people."
What Happens Next
The talks will take place Monday. The Istanbul meetings represent a rare opportunity for diplomacy as the battlefield remains active on multiple fronts and the humanitarian toll continues to grow.
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