Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are expected to take place next week in Istanbul, where a temporary ceasefire agreement will be discussed, Rks News reports.
Russia has proposed June 2 as the date for the second round of talks with Kyiv, while the Ukrainian side insists that Moscow must first submit its peace proposals before sending its delegation to Turkey.
Peskov praised the mediating role of the United States in the process and expressed optimism about a constructive dialogue between the parties. He added that he would not disclose details of the memorandum containing the conditions proposed by President Vladimir Putin, which includes a written guarantee that NATO will not expand eastward.
Keith Kellogg, the envoy of former U.S. President Donald Trump for Ukraine, said that Russia’s concerns over NATO expansion are “reasonable,” and emphasized that the U.S. does not support Ukraine joining the military alliance. Peskov noted that Putin’s stance on NATO expansion is clear and unwavering, and welcomed the fact that this has now been acknowledged in Washington.
According to Peskov, the U.S. role as a mediator is crucial, and represents a positive factor in efforts toward peace between the two countries.
