Ukraine updates: Kyiv, Moscow officials to meet in Istanbul – DW – 06/02/2025
06/02/2025
June 2, 2025 Russian, Ukrainian officials to meet in Istanbul
Officials from Kyiv and Moscow are set to meet in Istanbul Monday at 1:00 pm local time (1000 GMT) at the Ciragan Palace, where they will discuss ending the conflict that has gone on for more than three years.
This will be the second round of talkssince the invasion began, and are being held at the behest of US President Donald Trump. During the first round of talks in Istanbul last month, both parties agreed on a large-scale prisoner swap and spoke about their visions of a peace deal.
The talks come on the heels of Ukraine's most brazen attacks on Russian airbases, which hit several strategic bombers.
Russia has not shared its demands in advance, and said it will present a "memorandum" of peace terms.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meanwhile has asked for a full ceasefire and release of prisoners.
He has also asked for a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian delegation will be led by Putin's aide Vladimir Medinsky, who led similar talks in 2022. The Ukrainian team will be lead by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
A German government spokesperson said on Sunday that diplomatic advisors from Germany, France and Britain will also be present.
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