Next round: what we know about the ceasefire negotiations in Istanbul
2.06.2025 - 09:30
Ukraine’s ceasefire memorandum includes provisions on a ceasefire on land, at sea, and in the air.
The memorandum also provides that international partners will monitor this, writes The New York Times.
Thus, during direct negotiations in Istanbul, Ukraine and Russia agreed to prepare memorandums. Ukraine has already submitted its document to Russia and the United States, while Moscow said it would present its memorandum only at the next round of negotiations in Istanbul on June 2.
As Forbes Ukraine writes, a ceasefire at sea and in the air is not a new idea for Kyiv. For the first time, Ukraine privately proposed an “air” ceasfire back in the summer of 2024. The second time, the idea was supplemented by a “sea” ceasefire at consultations between Ukrainian, British, and French officials in early March.
It was the proposal for a ceasefire in the sky and at sea that the Ukrainian delegation brought to negotiations with the United States in Jeddah on March 11. But it agreed to a broader proposal by Secretary of State Marco Rubio – a complete unconditional ceasefire. Russia has been rejecting it for 2.5 months.
In particular, on June 1, from an evening address, it became known that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting dedicated to the meeting of the Ukrainian and Russian delegations, which is to be held in Istanbul on June 2.
“We discussed what exactly we expect from the meeting in Istanbul on Monday. We continue to offer a complete, unconditional ceasefire and all worthy and rational steps that can provide lasting and reliable peace. The Ukrainian proposal that we gave to the Russians is logical and realistic,” Zelensky noted.
He stated that the Russians never handed over their “memorandum” to anyone: neither the Ukrainian, nor the Turkish, nor the American side has their document. As the head of state stated, despite this, Ukraine will try to achieve at least some progress on the path to peace.
Read also: Truce in the Black Sea. How Ukraine, the US and Russia are negotiating a ceasefire.
