Ukraine Accuses Russia of Blocking Peace Talks

The prospects for peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, scheduled for Monday, June 2, in Istanbul, remain uncertain. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of delaying talks by refusing to send a memorandum outlining its conditions for ending the conflict—an essential document according to Kyiv to assess the feasibility of discussions.

In a public statement, Zelensky expressed frustration over the missing document, saying that neither Ukraine, its allies, nor Turkey—the host of the talks—have received the memorandum promised by Russia. He called this omission “another deception” by Moscow, emphasizing that without a clear understanding of Russia’s intentions, any meeting risks being unproductive.

Russian Strategy Under Diplomatic Pressure

The Kremlin, meanwhile, asserts that its delegation is ready to present its proposals at the scheduled Istanbul session, while keeping the memorandum’s content confidential for now. This reluctance fuels Kyiv’s concerns that Moscow may be preparing unacceptable demands, such as recognition of annexations or Ukraine’s military neutralization.

Turkey, acting as an active mediator, proposed an unprecedented trilateral summit bringing together Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, and former U.S. President Donald Trump under the auspices of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The offer was immediately rejected by Moscow, which conditions any high-level meeting on tangible progress in bilateral talks.

A Persistent Climate of Distrust

As the conflict enters its fourth year, the current deadlock highlights the ongoing tensions between the two sides and the difficulty of establishing a genuine diplomatic channel. Without clear willingness on both sides, hopes for a lasting ceasefire remain, once again, suspended to irreconcilable conditions.