Ukraine sends ceasefire memo, urges Russia to respond ahead of June 2 peace talks, Umerov says
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on May 28 that Kyiv is still awaiting the Russian side’s proposed ceasefire memorandum, which was expected following peace talks in Turkey earlier this month.
According to Umerov, the international community had anticipated Russia would submit the document promptly after the May 16 negotiations in Istanbul.
"Unfortunately, the Russian side attempted to delay this process. But pressure worked," Umerov said in his Facebook post. He credited statements from U.S. President Donald Trump, European leaders, and President Volodymyr Zelensky for compelling Moscow to complete the draft. He noted, however, that Russia continues to withhold delivery of the document.
"They received our document," Umerov added, referring to Ukraine’s position paper. "We reaffirm Ukraine’s readiness for a full and unconditional ceasefire and continued diplomatic engagement."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the same day that Russia's memorandum, detailing its stance, would be presented by the delegation led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky during the next round of negotiations set for June 2 in Istanbul.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged Moscow not to delay sending the memorandum.
“If the Russians have finally elaborated on their ‘memorandum’—after ten days of reflections and attacks—it can be passed to us right away," Sybiha said on X. "We anticipate that the Russian side will not derail the next meeting and will immediately submit their proposals for our consideration, as previously agreed."
During a press conference, Lavrov said the two sides had agreed on May 16 to draft documents outlining their respective positions. He added that Russia had "promptly drafted a corresponding memorandum," which includes what he described as steps to address the "root causes of the crisis."
Russia’s so-called "root causes" reportedly include long-standing maximalist demands that Kyiv withdraw from four partially occupied regions, that NATO cease further expansion eastward, and that some sanctions on Moscow be lifted. The memorandum also addresses the issue of frozen Russian assets and calls for "the protection of Russian-speaking Ukrainians."
Moscow has promoted the narrative that Kyiv discriminates against Russian-speaking citizens through its language policies. While Russian is still widely spoken throughout Ukraine, the government has introduced reforms in recent years aimed at strengthening the use of Ukrainian in public life—part of broader efforts to reverse decades of Russification under both Soviet and Russian influence.
A vast majority of Russian-speaking Ukrainians — those how primarily speak Russian at home — view Russia negatively, according to a survey published on May 27 by Kyiv-based think tank Razumkov Center in cooperation with the Kyiv Security Forum.
Umerov also said Ukraine is open to additional meetings but stressed the importance of preparedness to ensure any discussions are productive.
"The Russian side has at least four more days (until June 2) before their departure to provide us with their document for review," he said. "We call on them to fulfill that promise without delay and stop trying to turn the meeting into a destructive one. Diplomacy must be substantive, and the next meeting must yield results."
Martin Fornusek
