Russia Finalizing Draft Settlement with Ukraine Following Istanbul Talks

Russia will be ready to present Ukraine with a draft settlement document as soon as the ongoing prisoner exchange is completed, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, according to a statement published by the Foreign Ministry.

The draft document aims to outline the terms of a "stable, long-term, and comprehensive agreement" for resolving the conflict with Ukraine.

The decision to develop such a document was reached during negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul on May 16. Head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky previously stated that each side would present its own vision for a potential ceasefire in the agreement.

"As soon as the prisoner exchange is completed, we will be ready to hand over this draft document to the Ukrainian side. The Russian side is finalizing it now,” Lavrov stated.

The exchange, in a "1000-for-1000" format, was also agreed upon during the Istanbul talks. The first phase of the exchange took place on May 23, with 270 military personnel and 120 civilians returning to Russia, and an equivalent number repatriated to Ukraine.

Lavrov emphasized that Russia remains committed to a peaceful resolution.

"We will continue this work despite any provocations. We are always open to negotiations,” he said.

Three days after the Istanbul talks, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia was prepared to sign a memorandum with Ukraine outlining a potential future peace agreement. He noted that Moscow and Kyiv still need to determine a number of key points, including the principles of settlement, the timeline for signing a peace deal, and the possibility of a temporary ceasefire if mutual terms are reached.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later confirmed that Ukraine was open to signing such a document. According to him, Kyiv is waiting for Moscow's version of the memorandum and intends to prepare its own version as well.