The chief U
S. envoy for Ukraine negotiations, Kit Kellogg, announced plans to involve high-level representatives from leading Western countries in the next round of talks in Istanbul. According to him, this meeting, scheduled for June 2, will include security and diplomatic advisors from the U.S., France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, who will participate alongside Ukrainian and Russian delegations. These details were confirmed by sources close to the American special envoy, who are preparing for the next phase of the negotiation process aimed at resolving the conflict. Based on information obtained from an ABC News interview, Kellogg emphasized that this group of senior officials—who previously worked on formulating a 22-point Ukrainian "memorandum" during meetings in London and Paris—will take part in the upcoming Istanbul talks. It is noted that these documents were approved at the level of consultations between the countries; however, a significant obstacle remains the absence of an official Russian version of the "memorandum." According to Kellogg, the most crucial task is to initially achieve a comprehensive ceasefire—not only on land but also in the air and at sea—and to cease attacks on civilian infrastructure. "We need to compare proposals from both sides, identify common areas for negotiations, and determine issues where compromise is impossible. Only together can we assess the prospects when we meet in Istanbul," Kellogg stated. Interest in holding a second round of negotiations in Istanbul was voiced earlier—on May 28, Russia officially proposed holding a new meeting there. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia was ready for a second round of talks with Ukraine on June 2 and even suggested a specific platform for discussion. However, Ukrainian officials repeatedly emphasized that the Russian document, which supposedly reflects Ukraine’s position, has not yet been transmitted. President Volodymyr Zelensky also made a statement, stressing that Kyiv has not received the so-called "memorandum" from Russia, despite Moscow’s earlier promises to do so. He noted that Ukraine is awaiting this document from Russia and Turkey, which is mediating in the negotiations, but so far remains unanswered without reason. Zelensky sharply criticizes Russia’s behavior, calling the formation of the Russian "memorandum" a "mockery of the international community," and underlining that all of Moscow’s high-profile promises have been fulfilled only partially or not at all. The background of this diplomatic tension involves several key moments. On May 23, Zelensky already pointed out that Russia’s process of formulating a "memorandum" is a kind of mockery and an imitation of diplomatic efforts, urging the international community to remain vigilant. At the same time, concerns are growing within Ukrainian political and diplomatic circles about possible disruptions to future negotiations due to Russia’s lack of transparency and unpredictable behavior. Thus, the situation surrounding the restart of peace talks remains tense and uncertain. The scheduled negotiations in Istanbul will serve as a test of mutual trust and understanding between the parties. Western countries are ready to support Ukraine in efforts to achieve a stable ceasefire, but the lack of increased transparency from Russia remains a significant obstacle to reaching real results. The world is waiting eagerly for the first step in this complex diplomatic process, which could determine the future course of the conflict in Ukraine.