New Ceasefire Talks Proposed for Istanbul, Ukraine Insists on Seeing Russian Plan First

Istanbul is poised to host the next round of ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine next week, according to the Kremlin, which has praised the United States for its mediation. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Russia’s delegation would arrive in Istanbul, ready for discussions with Ukrainian representatives by Monday morning, emphasizing a focus on developing conditions for a temporary truce.
Yet, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has made it clear that Kyiv will not send a delegation to Turkiye until it receives Russia’s concrete proposals for a peace deal. This demand underscores Ukraine’s desire for a structured approach to negotiations, avoiding talks without a clear agenda. Peskov noted that while a list of ceasefire conditions is being prepared, their specifics would remain confidential, which could be a point of contention.
A crucial reported demand from Russia for ending the conflict is a written guarantee from Western leaders to cease NATO’s eastward expansion. This sensitive topic found resonance with comments from Keith Kellogg, Donald Trump’s envoy to Ukraine, who acknowledged Russia’s concerns as fair and stated the US does not support Ukraine’s NATO membership. The Kremlin expressed satisfaction with Washington’s apparent grasp of Russia’s long-standing position, finding its continued mediating role beneficial.