Russia is stalling and deceiving to delay peace talks — Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (president.gov.ua)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Russian Federation is doing everything to prolong the war and sabotage the negotiations, he said during his evening address.
"Russia is dragging out the war and doing everything simply to deceive the countries that are still trying to influence Moscow with words, not pressure. Words don't work with Moscow. Even the so-called memorandum, which they promised and supposedly prepared for more than a week, no one has seen yet," Zelenskyy said.
According to him, Russia has not handed over its memorandum not only to Ukraine but also to Türkiye — the country that hosted the first meeting. The president noted that the Russians promised the exact opposite, including to the United States of America and Donald Trump.
"Another Russian deception. They are doing everything to make the meetings empty. And this is yet another reason why there must be sufficient sanctions — enough pressure on Russia. Today, there was a report from General Syrskyi (Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine) about the front and our long-range activity on Russian territory. Thanks to our guys for their accuracy. And this is absolutely fair — it is Russia that must feel what war is like in order to have the desire to engage in diplomacy," Zelenskyy emphasized.
Russian memorandum and new negotiations
After the conclusion of the talks in Istanbul, Russia announced it was preparing its own memorandum, which outlines its vision for a ceasefire. According to Kremlin representatives, the document could serve as the basis for a future peace agreement.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Wednesday, May 28, a proposal to hold a second round of negotiations on June 2 — again in Istanbul. The Russian side plans to present its memorandum there.
In response, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said Kyiv has already submitted its own proposals to Moscow. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on Russia to immediately send the text of the document to Ukraine without delay until Monday.
However, Putin's administration called Sybiha's demand unconstructive and referenced ongoing negotiations.
More about Russia's memorandum and what is known about the new talks can be found in the RBC-Ukraine article.
