London – The Ukraine and Russian delegation will meet again in Istanbul, Türkiye, on Monday to take part in the next round of peace talks in the US intended to end the 3 -year -old neighbor’s invasion of 3 -year -old neighbor.
The discussion that has been revived so far has failed to reach a peaceful agreement, or even achieve a sustainable ceasefire, despite pressure on both sides by the administration of President Donald Trump. The last meeting between the Russian and Ukraine delegation in Istanbul in mid -May was the first direct contact between the two parties since the spring 2022.
State Secretary Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday, according to a reading issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs – which said the call occurred “at the request of Russia.”
“Secretary Rubio repeated President Trump’s call for continuous direct talks between Russia and Ukraine to achieve lasting peace,” said the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the two people “exchanged views on various initiatives regarding the political resolution of the Ukraine crisis.”
The combination of images made on May 25, 2025 showed that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images
Ukraine called for a ceasefire 30 days full during that time peace negotiations could occur. Russia has rejected the request, with President Vladimir Putin and its peak officials to maintain the maximum objectives of the war from the opening days of the Russian invasion.
Among the Kremlin demands is the annexation of the four Ukraine regions – plus Crimea retention, which Russia confiscated in 2014 – Demiliterization of Ukraine and permanent blocks in the state’s accessions to NATO.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in the post of social media on Sunday that the Kyiv delegation would be led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The president set the goal of Ukraine for the meeting. “First of the full and unconditional ceasefire,” he wrote. “Second – the release of prisoners. Third – The return of children who are kidnapped. And to build reliable and eternal peace and ensure security, the preparation of the meeting at the highest level.”
Zelenskyy and his government have repeatedly accused Putin of deliberately sabotaged peaceful conversation since Trump returned to the office in January, after promising the trail of the campaign to end the war within 24 hours. Trump’s threat to further sanctions to Russia does not seem to soften the goal of the Kremlin war.
Zelenskyy and his European supporters have encouraged Trump to increase pressure on Putin by introducing new sanctions to Russia and giving Ukraine more military support. Keith Kellogg, the Ukraine-Russian Trump messenger, hinted that the greater President’s frustration with Moscow, told ABC News last week that the President had “seen the level of helplessness that really made him frustrated.”
In a telephone conversation with Trump in May, Putin said Russia would provide a “peaceful memorandum” which outlines the possibility of completion. Moscow has not given documents. Vladimir Medinsky-a aide of Putin and an old member of the Russian negotiating team-said Sunday that the Russian team had received the Ukraine version of the peace memorandum.
Since the last round of the conversation in Istanbul, Trump has hit Putin – calling him “really crazy” – and once again criticized Zelenskyy, saying about the leader of Ukraine, “Everything that comes out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it’s better to stop.”
Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of the Ukraine Parliament representing the Zelenskyy Party and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, told ABC News, “Russia’s main goal is to avoid sanctions by preaching negotiations.”
“Putin is not interested in negotiations and ceasefires, because he hopes to start attacks during the summer,” added Merezhko.
A worker cleaned the window ahead of the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Ciragan Palace, in Istanbul, Türkiye, on June 2, 2025.
Murad Sezer/Reuters
“On the one hand, he imitated negotiations to avoid Trump’s sanctions and simultaneously to show that Russia was not politically isolated. However, on the other hand, Putin hoped that if Trump would decide to withdraw from negotiations, he would leave Ukraine without military support, one by one with Russia.”
The conversation came a day after Ukraine launched one of the most amazing war attacks. In what sources on Ukraine Security Services (SBU) said to ABC News was an operation one and a half years in manufacturing, operations use drone attacks hidden in containers brought by trucks to attack strategic bombing bases deep in Russia.
Moscow has used long-term bombers and their cruising missile weapons to attack Ukraine cities in all full scale invasion. SBU claimed to have reached more than 40 military aircraft in the attack, which targeted several air bases for thousands of miles from the area controlled by Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry framed the operation as a “terrorist attack,” claiming that the attack was “rejected” in three regions, but noted that several aircraft caught fire on the airport during the attacks on Irkutsk and Murmansk – videos published by SBU.
Also on Sunday, Russian authorities reported the collapse of two railroad bridges and slipping two trains in the area bordering Ukraine, which they blame on the “explosion.” At least seven people were killed, said the authorities.
In a speech on Sunday, Zelenskyy called the Ukraine drone attack as “brilliant operation” and said Russia “suffered a very significant loss.” The president framed the attack as a defensive action.
“We will defend ourselves in all the ways available to us,” said Zelenskyy. “Not for one second, we want this war. We offer a ceasefire to Russia. Since March 11, the US proposal for full ceasefire and unconditional has been on the table. It is Russia who chose to continue the war.”
“The pressure is really needed – the pressure on Russia which should make him return to reality,” added Zelenskyy. “Pressure through sanctions. Pressure from our troops. Pressure through diplomacy. All of that must work together.”
Meanwhile, long distance drone attacks and missiles continued overnight until Monday morning.
The Ukraine Air Force said Russia launched 80 drones and four missiles to the country last night, where 52 was shot down or neutralized. The Air Force reports the impact on 12 locations.
Satellite images show damage to military aircraft in Beraya Airbase Russia, according to Chris Biggers, a consultant who specializes in analyzing satellite imagery.
Chris Biggers / Umbra Space
The Russian Ministry of Defense said they shot down 162 Ukraine drones more than nine Russian regions last night.
ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.