Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky once again sharply commented on the lack of concrete steps from Russia regarding preparations for a possible peaceful resolution of the conflict
Specifically, at the end of this week’s diplomatic saga, the head of the Ukrainian state expressed indignation about the situation surrounding the so-called "memorandum" — a document that Moscow promised to provide to confirm its intentions to cease fire and initiate a new phase of negotiations. In his evening video address posted on social media, Zelensky emphasized that at this moment neither Ukraine nor Turkish colleagues — who are participating as mediators — have any official information regarding the content of the Russian "memorandum." According to the president, Russia has not publicly provided this important documentation and is instead hiding it, which raises deep distrust and requires an appropriate response. "An absolutely strange and unclear position. It seems as if Moscow has totally lost its familiarity with diplomacy and is trying to play a secret game, but such tactics only increase suspicions," Zelensky noted. He stressed that this fact only reinforces everyone's need to intensify pressure on the Kremlin to accelerate the peace negotiation process and return to the path of diplomacy. When asked about the future of bilateral dialogue, the president added that he plans to have a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan already on Friday. The main goal of this conversation is to add real substance, make it effective, and beneficial for Ukraine and the region. "We are trying to add clarity to the possible meeting because each day of diplomatic delay and ignoring channels — is not only a loss of valuable time but also human lives," Zelensky emphasized. It should be noted that this statement continues a diplomatic story that unfolded the day before. Earlier, Zelensky expressed skepticism about the prospects of a third round of negotiations in Istanbul, stating that Russia is unlikely to expect any significant results this time, as its actions demonstrate a lack of serious intentions for peace. Ukrainian diplomacy, in turn, is increasing expectations and preparing for additional negotiation steps. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Kyivga emphasized that Ukraine still expects Russia to provide an official text of the "memorandum" that Moscow promised to submit for resolving the situation. At the same time, according to him, Moscow has not done so yet, which may indicate replacing real intentions with unrealistic demands and attempts to delay conflict resolution. The Ministry of Defense confirmed that Ukrainian military personnel have handed over their document outlining Ukraine’s position to Russia; however, waiting for an official document from Moscow remains. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the content of the conditions Russia would include in its "memorandum" regarding a ceasefire, citing the need to maintain transparency and discuss details in a closed format. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tykhyi expressed the assumption that Moscow’s failure to produce an official document indicates unrealistic demands embedded in the "memorandum," complicating the peace process and causing additional delays. Thus, the situation surrounding future agreements remains tense — despite diplomatic efforts by Ukraine, the main issue still remains: when and under what conditions will the Kremlin agree to open dialogue and publish documents necessary for peace? Zelensky and his team are calling on the international community to continue applying pressure on Russia to accelerate this process and save lives, as people face daily threats amid ongoing hostilities.