Istanbul Peace Talks: Ukraine Presents Peace Plan, Russia Fails to Deliver

Ukraine and Russia engaged in a second round of peace negotiations in Istanbul on June 2, 2025. The Ukrainian delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, met with Russian representatives. While the Ukrainian side presented a proposed peace agreement, Russia failed to deliver on its promise of a memorandum outlining terms for a ceasefire. "Despite previous promises, Russia failed to provide a memorandum on halting hostilities," reported Oleh Tykhyy, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This lack of progress follows the first round of talks on May 16th, where the Russian delegation resorted to threats and unreasonable demands. The talks, however, did result in a prisoner exchange. The ongoing negotiations remain a critical point in the conflict.