War

One thousand one hundred and ninety-second day. Ukraine agreed to talks in Istanbul, but still demands Russia to show its peace memorandum in advance

Since February 24, 2022, Meduza has been broadcasting live about the Russian-Ukrainian war. We publish your letters in our daily materials because we are sure that we need to continue talking about the war. How do you feel about the ongoing war? How is it affecting you personally right now? How has your attitude to what is happening, to Russia, to Ukraine, to the world changed over these three years of war? Find the feedback form at the end of this article. A review of the previous day can be read here .

World

Ukraine has agreed to talks in Istanbul - but is still demanding that Russia provide a memorandum with its peace terms before the meeting begins.

Ukraine is ready to hold a new round of negotiations in Istanbul, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga said following negotiations with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. At the same time, he emphasized that Kyiv still expects from Moscow the promised text of the memorandum with its terms of the ceasefire.

“Regarding the meetings in Turkey. We are interested in these meetings continuing. We want to end this war this year. We are interested in establishing a truce. Ukraine will openly discuss this directly with Russia,” Sibiga said.

The minister explained that it is important for Ukraine to receive the text of the Russian memorandum in advance, so that the negotiating delegation can receive the necessary authority in advance to discuss its individual positions.

From the words of the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is therefore still unclear what Ukraine will do if the Russian Federation does not send the text in advance. Moscow continues to insist that the memorandum must be handed over right on the spot - and its discussion must begin immediately. The Russian authorities do not explain why they are not ready to show the document to Kyiv in advance.

Sibiga, speaking about the consent of the Ukrainian delegation to come to Istanbul, did not say anything about agreement with the date (but also did not express disagreement) - Russia had previously proposed resuming negotiations on Monday, June 2.

Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the Russian delegation “is leaving for Istanbul and will be ready on Monday morning to continue negotiations.” The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that the head of the department, Sergei Lavrov, had already discussed preparations for a meeting with Turkish Minister Hakan Fidan by telephone.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also emphasized that Russia sees the negotiations in Istanbul as exclusively bilateral and that now “there is no talk of anyone’s mediation.” The day before, US Presidential Special Envoy Keith Kellogg said that on June 2, representatives of the United States, France, Germany and Great Britain would arrive in Turkey.

Dmitry Peskov, commenting on Kellogg’s statement, allowed the participation of European countries in consultations in the future - but not now. “One way or another, of course, the future of European security needs to be discussed with the Europeans; we cannot do without it. But in relation to Monday in Istanbul, we are talking specifically about direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations,” he said.

Peskov also noted that neither the Russian nor the Ukrainian versions of the memorandums will be published. The New York Times learned something about the contents of the Ukrainian document. Citing an anonymous senior Ukrainian official, the newspaper wrote that the memorandum includes a provision to end one on land, at sea and in the air, with monitoring to be carried out by international partners. The source did not provide any other details.

War through the eyes of Meduza readers

Maria (Electrostal). I have been living abroad for ten years and have never in my life read as much news about Russia as I have read over the past three years. Despite the fact that I am physically far from the war, it feels very close psychologically: this includes awkward communication in English with Ukrainian colleagues at work, and calls from my parents from my hometown with the news that a drone has fallen somewhere nearby.

It is very sad that even ceasefire negotiations are not moving forward - let alone peace negotiations. On the one hand, it seems that I have gotten used to and adapted to the situation; on the other hand, the very thought, the very fact that my country is at war accompanies me every day as a heavy background: when I introduce myself and say where I’m from, when I meet refugees from Ukraine, when I watch the news. February 24, 2022 is not only the date the war began, it is also my personal trauma, which gave rise to an identity crisis.

I also have a dream: one morning I will wake up and see that on all channels and in all social networks there is news that Russia has become a free country after the overthrow of the authoritarian government. I always imagine in detail how I will celebrate this day. But while this remains a dream, I continue to build my life abroad and help refugees as much as I can.

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