The Voice News:Ukraine has yet to confirm its participation in the June 2 peace talks with Russia in Istanbul, citing the Kremlin’s refusal to share proposed terms ahead of time. While both Moscow and Washington are pressing Kyiv to attend, Ukrainian officials are firm in demanding clear and balanced conditions before engaging in direct dialogue.
Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reaffirmed Ukraine’s willingness to negotiate but emphasized that transparency from Russia is essential. Kyiv has already submitted a 22-point memorandum, viewed as reasonable by the United States, and is awaiting a reciprocal draft from Moscow.
The talks, set to focus on a ceasefire and broader security arrangements, including NATO’s eastward expansion, remain in doubt. This particular point—halting NATO’s growth—is one of Russia’s core demands and has reportedly been considered negotiable by the Trump administration’s special envoy. Turkey, which previously hosted similar negotiations without success, is once again playing the role of mediator and hopes to eventually bring Presidents Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy to the table for a trilateral summit.
The diplomatic deadlock follows a promising start to peace efforts during May 16 talks, which resulted in the largest prisoner exchange of the war—1,000 detainees on each side. However, since then, tensions have reignited. Ukraine accuses Moscow of stalling talks to gain battlefield leverage, while Russia criticizes Kyiv for not confirming attendance at the next round.
General Keith Kellogg, the U.S. envoy to Ukraine, expressed President Trump’s growing frustration over continued Russian missile attacks and Moscow’s failure to submit its negotiation terms. He warned that if no progress is seen within two weeks, the U.S. might reconsider its involvement in the peace process.
Despite the uncertainty, both sides remain under heavy international pressure to engage diplomatically. However, without an agreed framework or shared terms, the June 2 meeting in Istanbul remains in jeopardy—highlighting the ongoing challenges of brokering peace in a war that has lasted over three years.