Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Russia is engaging in “yet another deception” by not presenting any concrete proposal for a peace resolution, ahead of a potential meeting between Moscow and Kyiv, reports Rks News.
In a live video address, Zelenskyy said that even the “memorandum” promised by Moscow has not been seen by anyone, including Turkey, which hosted the first round of negotiations.
On the other hand, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia has prepared a memorandum outlining its position and has proposed a second round of negotiations in Istanbul, scheduled for Monday. The composition of the Russian delegation will remain the same as in the first round, confirmed Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.
Nevertheless, Zelenskyy criticized Russia’s approach, saying that Moscow is trying to sabotage the peace process in order to gain ground on the battlefield, while maneuvering to keep the U.S. in a neutral stance. He called on international allies to increase pressure on the Kremlin.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that there is still no official response from Ukraine regarding participation in the proposed meeting, while Zelenskyy accused Moscow of using “empty diplomatic jargon” and stalling the negotiations.
