Ukraine war latest: Moscow proposes next round of Russia-Ukraine talks on June 2 in Istanbul
Moscow proposes next round of Russia-Ukraine talks on June 2 in Istanbul
Ukrainian drones hit Russian cruise missile factory, SBU source says, in one of largest reported strikes of full-scale war
11 more Ukrainian Children rescued from Russian-occupied territories, Yermak's advisor says
'We'll know in two weeks' if Putin serious about ending war, Trump says
Germany pledges 5 billion euros in new aid to Ukraine, no Taurus missiles announced
Moscow has proposed June 2 as the date for the next round of talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a press conference.
In his remarks, Lavrov said the talks would be a continuation of the process launched during earlier negotiations on May 16 in Istanbul.
"In Istanbul, it was agreed that Moscow and Kyiv would prepare documents setting out the positions of each side to reach a sustainable resolution," Lavrov said. "The Russian side, as agreed, promptly drafted a corresponding memorandum, which lays out our position on all aspects of reliably overcoming the root causes of the crisis."
Under the guise of so-called "root causes," Russia has repeatedly reiterated its long-standing maximalist demands of Ukraine — the same ones it has voiced since the start of the full-scale invasion and has used as propaganda to justify its aggression against Ukraine.
Among them, Moscow insists Kyiv withdraw from four partially occupied Ukrainian regions it claims to have annexed.
Russia's memorandum also reportedly includes a written pledge that NATO will not expand further eastward, effectively blocking Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova from joining, as well as the lifting of some Western sanctions, resolution of frozen Russian assets, and "the protection of Russian-speaking Ukrainians."
Lavrov added that the Russian delegation, led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, is prepared to present this memorandum to the Ukrainian side and provide necessary clarifications during the second round of negotiations in Istanbul on June 2.
Read also: EU announces new Black Sea security strategy to counter Russian threats, top diplomat says
Ukrainian long-range drones hit the Raduga enterprise in the town of Dubna in Moscow Oblast, which produces cruise missiles, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent on May 28.
The drones also successfully struck the Kronstadt drone enterprise in the same town, the Angstrem microelectronics plant in Zelenograd in Moscow Oblast, and the Dmitrievsky Chemical Plant in Ivanovo Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported.
Ukrainian drones bypassed Russian air defenses near Raduga and hit the assembly and outfitting workshops of the plant, which were still on fire as of 3 p.m. local time, the source said.
The factory, located 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Moscow, produces Kh-101/555, Kh-69, and Kh-59MK missiles used in attacks against Ukraine. The Raduga enterprise is a part of the Tactical Missile Defense Corporation.
Earlier in the day, independent news channel Astra reported that drones attacked the Kronstadt drone facility, publishing videos shot by local residents showing a drone flying over the city. The videos also show smoke rising above the area where the enterprise is located.
The Kronstadt facility specializes in the production of Orion, Molniya, Grom, and other drones, according to the Ukrainian military.
Read also: Ukrainian Security Service charges captured Russian soldier with executing POWs
Eleven more Ukrainian children have been successfully returned from Russian-occupied territories as part of the national "Bring Kids Back UA" initiative, Daria Zarivna, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff and head of the project, said on May 28.
Among those rescued is a young girl whose mother and brother, both defenders of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, spent more than three years in Russian captivity.
"All this time, the mother did not know whether she would ever see her children again. During the exchange, she met her son on the bus, and today she was finally able to hug her little girl," Zarivna said.
Another boy was reunited with his father and brother, both Ukrainian soldiers. The father has been serving on the front lines, while the brother had also been held in Russian captivity for over three years.
Zarivna also said a teenage boy who had been orphaned was rescued from Russian forces. The child had been kidnapped from his school, held in a basement, tortured, and nearly conscripted into the Russian army days before his 18th birthday.
The operation is the latest in a series of rescue missions under Bring Kids Back UA, a national initiative launched by Zelensky to coordinate the return of children abducted during Russia's full-scale invasion.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on May 28 the U.S. would soon know whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about ending the war in Ukraine, warning that if Moscow is stalling, Washington would "respond a little bit differently."
Trump said his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is currently negotiating with Russian side, claiming he "is doing a phenomenal job."
"We're going to find out very soon. It'll take about two weeks, or week and a half,' Trump told reporters during a briefing, responding to a question on whether Putin wants to end the war.
"They seem to want to do something. But until the document is signed, I can't tell you... I'm very disappointed at what happened. A couple of nights now where people were killed in the middle of what you would call a negotiation." Trump did not clarify which document he was referring to.
Trump said he disapproved of Russia's recent missile attacks on Ukrainian cities during ongoing diplomatic efforts. "That's no good. We're not going to allow it," he said.
Read also: If Germany sends Taurus missiles to Ukraine, Russia has a major Crimean Bridge problem
Germany has unveiled a military aid package for Ukraine worth 5 billion euros ($5.65 billion), the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement on May 28 after Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Berlin.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov signed the accord in Berlin's Bendlerblock, the headquarters of the German Defense Ministry. The agreement includes direct German investments in Ukraine's defense industry and a broader treaty between Kyiv and German arms manufacturers.
Under the new agreement, Germany will help fund the production of long-range weapons systems inside Ukraine — tapping into the country's existing industrial capacities and technical expertise, the statement read.
German Defense Ministry said a significant number of these systems are expected to be manufactured by the end of 2025, with the first batch ready for deployment in the coming weeks. Since these systems are already in service with the Ukrainian military, no additional training is needed for their use.
Berlin also reaffirmed its commitment to supply Ukraine with critical ammunition and weapons. The arms heading Kyiv's way include air defense systems, artillery, systems of land weapons and handguns. No Taurus missiles were publicly announced as part of the package.
The meeting between Merz and Zelensky in Berlin was preceded by speculation that Germany would finally reverse its long-held policy of not sending Taurus missiles to Kyiv over fears of escalating the war against Russia.
Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community.
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