ISTANBUL, June 02 (Reuters) – Russia presented Ukraine with uncompromising peace terms during negotiations in Istanbul on Monday, demanding Kyiv cede significant territory and accept limits on its military strength, according to a memorandum published by Russian media. Ukraine swiftly rejected the conditions as tantamount to surrender.
The formal demands, delivered during the second high-level talks since March 2022, underscored Moscow’s adherence to its core war goals despite international pressure, including calls from U.S. President Donald Trump to end the “bloodbath.” The meeting lasted barely an hour.
Minimal Agreements, Maximal Demands
The sole concrete agreement was a pledge to exchange prisoners of war, prioritizing the youngest and most severely wounded, and repatriate the bodies of 12,000 fallen soldiers. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, hosting the talks, described the meeting positively and expressed hope for a future summit in Turkey involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and Trump.
However, there was no progress on a ceasefire, urgently sought by Ukraine and its Western allies. Moscow insists it wants a comprehensive settlement, not a temporary pause, while Kyiv maintains Putin shows no genuine interest in peace. Trump warned the U.S. might withdraw its mediation efforts without tangible progress.
Russia’s Non-Negotiable Terms
The Russian memorandum, reported by Interfax, outlined terms Ukraine has consistently rejected:
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Territorial Concessions: International recognition of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and its claimed sovereignty over four other Ukrainian regions (Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson). Ukrainian forces would withdraw entirely.
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Neutrality & Demilitarization: Ukraine must become a neutral state, renouncing NATO membership, and accept limits on the size and capabilities of its armed forces.
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Internal Policies: Protection of Russian speakers’ rights, making Russian an official language, and banning the “glorification of Nazism” – a charge Kyiv dismisses as baseless, also denying discrimination against Russian speakers.
Ceasefire Options Unacceptable to Kyiv
Russia formalized two ceasefire proposals as steps towards a settlement, both deemed non-starters by Ukraine:
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Full Ukrainian military withdrawal from the four contested eastern and southern regions.
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A package requiring Ukraine to halt troop movements, cease foreign military aid (including satellite comms/intel), lift martial law, and hold elections within 100 days.
Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky also suggested localized 2-3 day ceasefires solely to collect dead soldiers’ bodies.
Ukraine’s Counter-Proposal
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, leading Kyiv’s delegation, stated Ukraine would review the Russian document but offered no immediate comment. Kyiv has its own peace roadmap, seen by Reuters, demanding no post-war military restrictions, no recognition of Russian sovereignty over seized territories, and reparations. Umerov said Ukraine proposed further talks before month-end but believes only a direct Zelenskiy-Putin meeting can resolve core issues.
Zelenskiy highlighted a specific humanitarian concern, stating Ukraine presented a list of 400 children allegedly abducted to Russia, but the Russian delegation agreed only to work on returning 10. Russia claims the children were relocated for safety.
Escalation: Ukraine Targets Russian Strategic Bombers
The diplomatic stalemate coincided with significant military escalation. On Sunday, Ukraine launched a major long-range drone operation, codenamed “Spider’s Web,” targeting Russian nuclear-capable strategic bomber bases deep inside Russia, including in Siberia and the far north.
Ukraine said 117 drones were deployed. Satellite imagery suggested substantial damage, though both sides disputed the extent. Western analysts described the strikes, thousands of miles from the front, as one of Ukraine’s most audacious actions.
These bombers are part of Russia’s nuclear “triad,” alongside ground and submarine missiles. Putin’s repeated nuclear warnings have made the West wary of the conflict escalating into a broader war. Officials from the U.S., UK, and former U.S. administration confirmed they were not notified in advance of the attack, citing Ukrainian operational security.
Kyiv’s Resolve
Zelenskiy framed the drone operation as restoring partners’ confidence in Ukraine’s ability to fight on. “Ukraine says that we are not going to surrender and are not going to give in to any ultimatums,” he stated. “But we do not want to fight, we do not want to demonstrate our strength – we demonstrate it because the enemy does not want to stop.”
The Istanbul talks concluded with the fundamental gap between Russia’s demands and Ukraine’s conditions for peace as wide as ever, while the conflict itself intensified both on the battlefield and through long-range strikes.
