Ukraine Unveils Peace Proposal Ahead of New Round of Talks with Russia in Istanbul
Ukrainian and Russian delegations are set to meet today in Istanbul for the second round of negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian side has presented a detailed peace roadmap, laying out phased steps toward a comprehensive and just resolution to the war.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Reuters.
The high-stakes meeting is scheduled to take place at Istanbul’s Çırağan Palace at 1:00 PM local time. It follows the initial round of talks held at Dolmabahçe Palace on May 16, which resulted in a tentative agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners from each side.
According to a document reviewed by Reuters, Ukraine’s peace proposal begins with a 30-day ceasefire as a confidence-building measure. This would be followed by the mutual release of prisoners of war and the repatriation of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred to Russian-held territories. The plan also envisions a future meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The document reaffirms Ukraine’s core conditions for peace: no recognition of Russia’s territorial claims in occupied Ukrainian regions, no limitations on Ukraine’s defense capabilities, and legally binding reparations from Moscow. Additionally, it proposes using the current front line as a baseline for future territorial discussions – a position likely to face strong resistance from the Kremlin.
President Zelenskyy signed an official decree over the weekend establishing Ukraine’s negotiation team, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. On Sunday, he chaired a high-level strategy session in Kyiv ahead of the Istanbul talks, underscoring the importance of coordinated diplomacy and strong international backing.
While Ukraine has already submitted its peace framework to the Russian side, Moscow has yet to respond with a formal counter-proposal. Nonetheless, reports indicate that the Kremlin has approved the composition of its delegation, which will also participate in today’s talks.
The presence of low-ranking Russian officials has drawn criticism from independent analysts. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the delegation’s composition reflects a lack of seriousness on Russia’s part and may signal a strategy to prolong the negotiation process rather than engage in meaningful dialogue.
Read more on The Gaze: Can Türkiye bring peace or ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine?