Exclusive-Ukraine to set out roadmap for peace at Istanbul talks, document shows
FILE PHOTO: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during a press briefing following phone calls with U.S. President Donald Trump, amid Russia?s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, May 19, 2025. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo
KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian negotiators at talks scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul will present to the Russian side a proposed roadmap for reaching a lasting peace settlement, according to a copy of the document seen by Reuters.
The proposed roadmap begins with a full ceasefire of at least 30 days, to be followed by the return of all prisoners held by each side, and of Ukrainian children taken into Russian-held territory, and then a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Under the blueprint, Moscow and Kyiv -- with the participation of the United States and Europe -- will work to hash out the terms on which they can agree to put a complete end to their three-year-old war, the biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two.
Ukrainian officials said earlier this week that they had sent the blueprint to the Russian side in advance of the Istanbul talks.
The framework Ukrainian terms for a peace deal as set out in the document seen by Reuters are largely the same as the terms previously put forward by Kyiv.
Those include no restrictions on Ukraine's military strength after a peace deal is struck, no international recognition of Russian sovereignty over parts of Ukraine taken by Moscow's forces, and reparations for Ukraine.
The document also stated that the current location of the front line will be the starting point for negotiations about territory.
Those terms diverge considerably from demands that Russia has made publicly in the past few weeks.
U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Moscow and Kyiv to work together on a deal to end their war, and Russia has proposed a second round of face-to-face talks with Ukrainian officials next week in Istanbul.
Kyiv said earlier this week it is committed to the search for peace, but that it was waiting for a memorandum from the Russian side setting out their proposals which has not materialised.
Nevertheless, Zelenskiy said on Sunday that he will send a delegation of his officials to meet their Russian counterparts in Istanbul.
(Writing by Christian Lowe, Editing by William Maclean)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
19 minutes ago
- The Star
Bursa Malaysia lower at midday on renewed US-China tensions
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia was lower at midday, dragged down by renewed tensions between the United States (US) and China, analysts said. According to reports, China hit back at US President Donald Trump's claim it had violated the temporary trade agreement between the two countries, while the European Union said it opposed the president's doubling of tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. At 12.30 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) declined by 4.89 points, 0.32 per cent, to 1,503.46 from last Friday's close of 1,508.35. The benchmark index, which opened 4.37 points higher at 1,512.72, moved between 1,497.42 and 1,514.12 during the morning session. In the broader market, decliners thumped gainers 694 to 225, while 373 counters were unchanged, 1,054 untraded and 15 suspended. Turnover stood at 2.14 billion units worth RM1.14 billion. Meanwhile, Hong Leong Investment Bank said in a note that following the conclusion of a lacklustre May corporate results season, it expects the benchmark index to remain volatile in June after tumbling 2.1 per cent in May (year-to-date: -8.2 per cent). This is as investor sentiment has stayed cautious amid continued foreign net outflows coupled with developments in the political landscape ahead of the Sabah state election (due by end 2025). "Adding to the cautious tone are renewed concerns over a tariff-driven global slowdown and ongoing legal tussles surrounding Trump's trade policies, which could weigh on market confidence and pressure Malaysia's growth and earnings outlook,' it said. Among the heavyweights, QL Resources fell 11 sen to RM4.39, Axiata slid four sen to RM2.01, Press Metal Aluminium was down nine sen to RM4.95, Petronas Chemicals eased six sen to RM3.36, and Sunway dropped 7 sen to RM4.68. Among the most active counters, Harvest Miracle Capital, ACE Market debutant ICT Zone Asia, and Permaju Industries were flat at 18 sen, 20 sen and 1.5 sen respectively, while Tanco Holdings increased one sen to RM1.01 and Eco-Shop Marketing slipped two sen to RM1.24. On the index board, the FBM Emas Index shaved 44.22 points to 11,255.58, the FBMT 100 Index lost 38.95 points to 11,022.05, and the FBM ACE Index fell 65.44 points to 4,485.59. The FBM Emas Shariah Index slid 54.38 points to 11,201.88, while the FBM 70 Index trimmed 69.27 points to 16,132.23. Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index weakened 43.21 points to 17,797.32, the Industrial Products and Services Index edged down 2.05 points to 150.60, and the Energy Index eased 8.58 points to 699.46, but the Plantation Index rose 16.80 points to 7,224.65. - Bernama
Daily Express
22 minutes ago
- Daily Express
London police say arrested 4th suspect in arson attack on Starmer's home
Published on: Tuesday, June 03, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jun 03, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. - Andy Buchanan, Pool Photo via AP Moscow: London police have said they have arrested a fourth man suspected of setting fire to United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Keir Starmer's home, Sputnik/RIA Novosti reported. The fire at the British prime minister's home occurred on May 12. As a result, the front door of the building was damaged. The prime minister's home, where he lived for almost 20 years before moving to Downing Street, is located on Countess Road in north London. UK media reported that Starmer is currently renting out his home. 'A 48-year-old man was arrested on Monday, 2 June at London Stansted Airport ... on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life,' the Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Monday. The arrest is reportedly related to three incidents: a car fire on May 8, a fire at the entrance to a building on May 11, and a fire in a residential building on May 12. All incidents are connected to a well-known public figure, the statement noted. Three people have already been arrested in connection with the arson attacks, namely 21-year-old Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych, 26-year-old Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, and 34-year-old Ukrainian national Petro Pochynok. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Rwanda-backed rebels in Congo executed civilians, Human Rights Watch says
Members of the M23 rebel group stand guard as people attend a rally addressed by Corneille Nangaa, Congolese rebel leader and coordinator of the AFC-M23 movement, in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo February 27, 2025. REUTERS/Victoire Mukenge/File Photo (Reuters) -Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo executed at least 21 civilians over two days in February in the eastern city of Goma, Human Rights Watch said in a report published on Tuesday. The report covers incidents on February 22-23 in a Goma neighborhood, offering a snapshot of the violence during the latest escalation of the decades-long conflict. 'Commanders and combatants who directly ordered or carried out abuses should be held criminally accountable,' Human Rights Watch said in the report. M23 rebels have seized eastern Congo's two largest cities, Goma and Bukavu, in an offensive that began in January. The unprecedented advance has killed thousands of people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee. The 21 slain civilians included six men and one woman shot in the head near Katindo military camp in Goma on February 22. HRW said M23 were responsible, citing a witness. In a separate incident, M23 killed people and dumped their bodies at a construction site less than 100 metres away from the camp. These included a 15-year-old who was taken from his home and later found dead at the site, HRW said, citing a relative and a neighbour. Goma's Kasika neighbourhood was targeted because it had previously housed Congolese army barracks, HRW said. The violence continued in the neighbourhood a day later on February 23 when M23 rounded up around 20 young men at a nearby sportsfield. A witness told HRW the rebels accused the young men of being members of the army. Three that tried to run away were shot. An M23 leader said the group would look into the allegations and publish the findings. 'HRW gives us an opportunity to mirror ourselves. We respect this organization despite its past accusations which proved to be false,' M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa told Reuters. The overall toll in Goma is likely to be higher, HRW said, with medical workers reporting that over 50 bodies were collected from the Kasika area over the two-day period. Other organizations have previously reported grievous crimes committed in eastern Congo since M23 seized swaths of territory. Amnesty International in March said rebels had raided hospitals in Goma for wounded Congolese soldiers and taken 130 people including caregivers. Many were tortured and some are still missing. UNICEF reported a five-fold surge in rape cases treated across 42 health centers in eastern Congo, in February, describing it as the worst sexual violence seen there in years. Almost a third of the victims were children, UNICEF said. In one example, a mother reported that her six daughters, the youngest just 12 years old, were raped by armed men searching for food. The conflict in eastern Congo is rooted in the spillover of Rwanda's 1994 genocide and the struggle over Congo's vast mineral resources. Rwanda denies U.N. allegations that it backs the M23, saying its forces are acting in self-defence against Congo's army and allied militias. (Writing by Jessica Donati; Editing by Stephen Coates)
