Russia-Ukraine Set Conditional Istanbul Peace Talks

Russia has proposed a second round of peace talks with Ukraine for June 2 in Istanbul, but Ukraine has stated it will only participate if Russia provides a promised peace memorandum in advance. The talks are set against a backdrop of escalating violence, including Russia's largest-ever drone assault on Ukraine. US President Donald Trump has imposed a two-week deadline for Russia to show genuine intent to end the war, though this ultimatum has been used by him repeatedly in the past. Russian officials have dismissed Trump's criticisms and accused him of being uninformed, while Kremlin propagandists have warned Europe about possible escalation. Both sides are accusing each other of stalling the peace process, with Ukraine labeling Russia's demands as maximalist and Russia insisting on addressing fundamental issues before any ceasefire. The international community is closely watching to see if the scheduled talks will result in progress toward a ceasefire.