Moscow proposes second round of negotiations with Kyiv in Istanbul on Monday

Russia has proposed a second round of negotiations with Ukraine to be held in Istanbul on Monday 2 June, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Wednesday.

Lavrov said that Russia had “promptly come up with an appropriate memorandum”, setting out its position on “overcoming the root causes of the crisis” in Ukraine, adding that the Russian delegation was ready to present this memorandum to Kyiv during the second round of talks in Istanbul.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov presented “specific” proposals for the next round of peace talks in a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held shortly after the announcement.

Ukraine is yet to comment on Lavrov’s proposal.

The first round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine took place on 16 May in Istanbul. Although no major breakthrough was achieved at the talks, where the sides spoke for less than two hours, they did agree to the largest prisoner exchange so far since the start of the war, with both countries releasing 1000 prisoners each.

Earlier this month, the Vatican had been suggested as an alternative venue for further talks as the two countries attempt to seek an end to the conflict, though this was ultimately rejected by Moscow, with Lavrov calling the proposal “inelegant”.

The proposal comes with Russia facing the threat of fresh sanctions as US President Donald Trump grows increasingly weary at the slow pace of negotiations, threatening to withdraw from the process altogether.