As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, both countries are preparing for a second round of peace talks. The meeting will take place on Monday in Istanbul, Turkey. However, Ukraine has made it clear that it will attend only if Russia sends its peace proposal before the talks.

First Meeting Set the Foundation

Earlier, on May 16, the two countries met in Istanbul for the first round of talks. During that meeting, both sides agreed to prepare written documents with their peace conditions. Later, on Wednesday evening, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov proposed June 2 as the date for the second round of negotiations.

Ukraine Demands Russian Response Before Meeting

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who led the first meeting, said Ukraine will only take part in the next talks if Russia sends its terms in advance. He explained that “we are not opposed to further meetings with the Russians,” but added that they are still “awaiting their ‘memorandum’ so that the meeting won’t be empty and can truly move us closer to ending the war.”

Furthermore, Umerov mentioned that Ukraine already sent its proposal to Russia. He stated that “the Russian side has at least four more days before their departure to provide us with their document for review.”

Ukraine Ready to End War Immediately

Ukraine has repeated several times that it is open to an unconditional ceasefire. However, Russia has insisted on long discussions about what it calls the war’s “root causes” before any peace can begin.

U.S. Offers Support to Ukraine

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said U.S. President Donald Trump backed Ukraine’s position during their recent meeting at the Vatican. Zelenskyy told reporters that “President Trump supported that if Russia does not stop, there will be sanctions.” He also added, “our conversation was positive from the point of view that I perceive our conversation as a confirmation of the US policy of imposing strong sanctions against Russia if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not agree to a ceasefire.”

Russia Pushes Back on U.S. Comments

In response, top Russian official Yuri Ushakov said Trump was not fully aware of the situation. During a television interview, Ushakov claimed, “we have come to the conclusion that Trump is not sufficiently informed about what is really happening in the context of the Ukrainian-Russian confrontation.” He insisted that Russian strikes were only aimed at military targets and infrastructure.

What’s Next?

Now, all eyes are on Istanbul. Both sides must decide how to move forward. While Ukraine waits for Russia’s document, the outcome of the second round remains uncertain. Still, many hope it will bring the war closer to an end.