Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will spearhead the discussions on Monday, facing off against a delegation led by Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. This meeting is only the second instance where the two rival factions have engaged in public negotiations since the conflict’s early stages, following an initial round of talks in May.
Despite months of high-profile attempts by US President Donald Trump, the chances for peace appear slim. Trump has grown increasingly exasperated with the stagnation and noted that Moscow rejected a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, instead presenting maximal demands to conclude its invasion, which is now in its fourth year. While Trump has threatened to impose additional sanctions on Russia, he has yet to take that action.
On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy disclosed details about the attack, which involved drones camouflaged in trucks sent deep into Russia to target strategic airfields as far away as eastern Siberia. He emphasized that Ukraine would employ both “active actions” and “diplomacy” to safeguard itself while demanding an immediate termination of hostilities.
“We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state, and our people,” Zelenskiy stated on the X social media platform.
According to him, Ukraine deployed 117 drones with operators stationed within Russia over three time zones, highlighting that approximately a third of the strategic cruise missile carriers at the bases were impacted.
More than 40 Russian aircraft, including Tu-95 and Tu-22 M3 long-range bombers capable of carrying conventional and nuclear weapons as well as the A-50, sustained damage during the operation on Sunday, an official from Ukraine’s Security Service disclosed on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information. Vasyl Maliuk, the chief of Ukraine’s Security Service, led the operation, the source added.
Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed via a Telegram statement that attacks occurred at five military airbases across the country, ranging from the Far East and eastern Siberia to areas just a few hundred miles from Moscow. However, they reported that only “a few aircraft units” were damaged at two bases in the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions. Pro-Moscow military blogger Rybar, boasting about 1.3 million followers on Telegram, estimated that 13 aircraft were damaged, primarily long-range bombers.
In a parallel development, Moscow initiated one of its most prolonged drone and missile offensives against Kyiv on Sunday, with air raid sirens sounding for over nine hours, raising tensions ahead of the critical peace talks. A strike on a military training site resulted in at least 12 fatalities, leading Ukraine Ground Forces Commander Mykhaylo Drapatyi to announce his resignation in light of the casualties.
Over the weekend, Russia’s military also claimed to have seized control of several additional settlements in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, following earlier statements about establishing what it termed a “buffer zone” within the country.
Some of Russia’s advanced weaponry relies on foreign components, such as cruise missiles, TU-22 bombers, submarines, and anti-aircraft radar, complicating the replacement of lost bombers due to sanctions.
Separately, Russia’s primary investigative agency announced on Sunday that it had opened criminal investigations after two bridges exploded in regions near Ukraine, resulting in collapsed trains that caused at least seven deaths and numerous injuries.
The initial session of peace talks on May 16 — the first in over three years — concluded with a prisoner exchange agreement and discussions regarding a potential ceasefire. Up to this point, Russia has not indicated that the recent attacks would impact the negotiations, and both delegations were reported to have arrived in Istanbul by Monday morning.
Zelenskiy confirmed on Sunday the delegation’s attendance in Istanbul to address matters such as a full and unconditional ceasefire, release of prisoners, and the return of abducted children. The two nations are expected to outline their proposals for peace.
The participants are also anticipated to discuss the potential for a high-level meeting, as critical issues can only be settled by the leaders, added Zelenskiy.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov communicated by phone with US counterpart Marco Rubio about Ukraine, as stated by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday, according to Interfax.
US envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, remarked that the US, UK, France, and Germany would also engage in discussions on the sidelines, aiming to bridge the gaps. Kellogg informed US network ABC News that Russia’s reported demand for a written assurance that NATO would not expand further eastward, including into Ukraine, is a “fair concern.”
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