Ukraine open to talks with Russia, but demands real ceasefire dialogue
Photo: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine is interested in continuing negotiations with Russia if they include a substantive discussion of a ceasefire, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha says.
"We are committed to peace efforts. We welcome the efforts of the United States, personally President Trump, to achieve a just peace and end this war this year. Because the war is on our territory, our people are suffering," he said.
Sybiha said that Ukraine demonstrated its constructivism by holding meetings in Istanbul, where the goal was to bring peace to Ukraine.
"This was our signal. Unfortunately, we saw the complete inadequacy of the Russian side, which was manifested in the document they handed over. It is a complete inadequacy. They have not changed the rhetoric of ultimatums. They demand our surrender," the Minister said.
In his opinion, the world should put pressure on Russia to force them to peace, impose sanctions, first of all, a price ceiling on oil, which is the main source of funding for the war. Sybiha hopes for an 18-pack of EU sanctions and a strong decision by the G7.
Negotiations in Istanbul
Answering the question whether the third round of direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow will take place inmTürkiye, Sybiha said:
"We need such negotiations where decisions are made, where issues are resolved. Now we see that the last round of meetings held in Istanbul was actually about discussing the POW exchange," he said.
According to him, Ukraine is interested in a meeting at the presidential level and is ready for such a meeting.
"And then we will see. The most important thing for us is to bring peace closer. The key for us now is to achieve a truce, a ceasefire," the Minister said.
Russia outlined its demands for an end to the war in a memorandum presented on June 2 during talks with Ukraine in Istanbul. In Ukraine, it is called an ultimatum.
