Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that Russia and Ukraine will hold fresh peace talks on Wednesday in Turkey, following two earlier rounds in Istanbul that yielded little progress. The upcoming meeting comes amid heightened diplomatic efforts and mounting pressure from the United States to secure a ceasefire.
In his Monday night address, Zelensky said preparations were underway with Ukrainian Security Council chief Rustem Umerov, who confirmed the new round of discussions. “Umerov reported that the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday,” Zelensky said, adding that further details would be released on Tuesday.
The previous meetings on May 16 and June 2, held under U.S. urging, failed to produce a ceasefire agreement. Talks so far have only resulted in limited prisoner exchanges, while Russia has since intensified its military campaign, capturing more territory and launching heavy airstrikes.
Moscow continues to demand that Ukraine relinquish four occupied regions in addition to Crimea and abandon aspirations of joining NATO—conditions Kyiv firmly rejects. Despite these stark differences, the Kremlin said it remains open to negotiations, particularly after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a 50-day deadline for Russia to strike a deal or face harsher sanctions.
With both sides deeply entrenched, hopes for a breakthrough remain slim. “A lot of diplomatic work lies ahead,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitted on Monday, underscoring the long road to any potential peace settlement.
