KEY POINTS
- Russia demands Ukraine adopt a neutral, non-aligned, non-nuclear status
- Moscow calls for abolition of “discriminatory laws” and end to NATO’s eastward expansion
MOSCOW: Russia said on Wednesday it had drafted a peace “memorandum” outlining its terms for ending the Ukraine conflict and would present it to Kyiv at a new round of direct talks in Istanbul next Monday.
Ukraine did not immediately comment on the announcement.
Diplomatic efforts to end the fighting have accelerated in recent weeks, with the two sides meeting for their first face-to-face talks in over three years earlier this month in Istanbul.
“Our delegation, led by Vladimir Medinsky, is ready to present this memorandum to the Ukrainian delegation and provide the necessary explanations during a second round of direct talks in Istanbul on Monday, June 2,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Speaking at the 13th Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues in Moscow, Lavrov said the resumption of direct negotiations came “thanks to the initiative of US President Donald Trump,” with “active support” from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi leaders.
“We are grateful to them,” he said.
“I would like to once again express our gratitude to our Turkish partners for providing a hospitable venue, as confirmed yesterday by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during his visit to Moscow,” Lavrov added.
Medinsky, a Russian political scientist and former culture minister, led Russia’s negotiating team during the first round of talks on May 16.
US President Donald Trump has put pressure on both sides to broker an end to the three-year conflict.
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Recalling the May 16 meeting in Istanbul, Lavrov said, “In those negotiations, we insisted on the abolition of all discriminatory laws in Ukraine, and we will continue to demand this in the upcoming talks as well.”
He warned that without addressing fundamental issues such as NATO’s expansion and Ukraine’s potential alliance membership, the talks would not succeed.
“Negotiations are better than war,” Lavrov said. “But in order to succeed, the root causes must be eliminated. NATO’s eastward expansion triggered the crisis in Ukraine and undermined security in Europe.”
Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow’s demands for Ukraine to maintain a neutral, non-aligned, and non-nuclear status – terms discussed in previous Istanbul talks in 2022.
He criticized the West’s position on Ukraine’s territorial integrity, saying it ignores the right to self-determination.
“The West calls for human rights but turns a blind eye to terrorist acts by the Kyiv regime, including the killings of Russian public figures,” Lavrov said.
He also voiced concern over NATO’s growing presence along Russia’s border and in the Asia-Pacific, calling such moves “dangerous adventures.”
