Russia, Ukraine resume peace talks in Istanbul amid escalating air attacks

Russia and Ukraine hold a second round of peace talks in Istanbul amid overnight air attacks. Kyiv seeks a full ceasefire and security guarantees, while Moscow demands territorial concessions and limits on Ukraine’s military

Russia and Ukraine have commenced a second round of direct peace talks in Istanbul today, Monday, June 2, 2025, even as both nations reported significant overnight air attacks leading up to the negotiations.

Also read: Russian overnight strikes wound over 30 in Ukraine following minerals deal

The Ukrainian delegation arrived in the Turkish city, despite earlier indications from Kyiv that it might not participate, following limited progress in last month’s initial talks focused primarily on a prisoner swap.

Russian negotiators also confirmed their arrival in Istanbul, where both Kyiv and Moscow, reportedly under pressure from the United States, are expected to present their respective memorandums on peace terms.

The first round of talks concluded with only a prisoner exchange agreement, with Ukraine previously complaining of “unacceptable and unrealistic demands” from Russia.

Russia has been reluctant to share its memorandum with Kyiv in advance. However, Vladimir Medinsky, Moscow’s lead negotiator and presidential adviser, was quoted by the TASS news agency as stating that the Kremlin had received Ukraine’s proposal.

According to Reuters, Kyiv has put forward a roadmap for lasting peace that includes no restrictions on its military strength and no international recognition of Russian sovereignty over parts of Ukraine – conditions that Moscow has consistently sought to impose.

Ukraine’s primary demands for a peace agreement, as reiterated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, include a “full and unconditional ceasefire,” the release of all prisoners, and the return of abducted children.

Zelenskyy has also called for a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, though the Kremlin has maintained such a meeting would only occur after the delegations reach broader agreements.

First – a full and unconditional ceasefire. Second – the release of prisoners. Third – the return of abducted children.

As their delegations arrived in Turkiye, Ukrainian officials were actively coordinating with European allies, who are striving to bolster support for Kyiv amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding the commitment of the United States under President Donald Trump.

Ahead of the direct meeting with Russian representatives, the Ukrainian delegation met with representatives from Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Concurrently, President Zelenskyy arrived in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, for a summit with leaders of NATO’s eastern and Nordic members, who remain among Kyiv’s staunchest backers against the Russian invasion.

“If Ukraine is not present at the NATO summit, it will be a victory for Putin, but not over Ukraine, but over NATO,” Zelenskyy remarked last week, emphasizing the importance of security guarantees from the Western military alliance in the event of a ceasefire or peace deal – a demand Moscow has labelled “unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, Russia continues to insist that any ceasefire agreement must address the “root causes” of the conflict, consistently referring to demands such as limiting Ukraine’s military capabilities, banning Ukraine from joining NATO, and agreeing to significant territorial concessions, including recognition of its annexation of Crimea and other Ukrainian regions.

The resumption of talks follows a night of intense bombardments from both sides. Russia’s Ministry of Defence reported on Monday that its air defence units had “intercepted and destroyed” 162 Ukrainian drones, predominantly over bordering regions, including 57 over the Kursk region and 31 over the Belgorod region.

This came a day after Ukraine carried out what it described as one of its biggest and most successful attacks on Russian soil, reportedly hitting dozens of strategic bombers in Siberia and other military bases.

Also read: Russia, Ukraine exchange drone, missile attacks

Ukraine, in turn, reported that Russia had targeted its territory with 80 drones overnight, striking 12 targets. Oleksandr Prokudin, the Governor of Kherson, confirmed on Telegram that artillery fire had killed a 40-year-old man in the Korabelny district and injured a five-year-old child, who is now receiving medical supervision.