Russia: Ukraine Holds Key to Peace Talks Framework Cooperation

The diplomatic pendulum swings again after the recent peace talks with Ukraine, which took place on May 15-16 in Istanbul. Specifically, Russia today (May 20, 2025) passed the ‘ball of responsibility’ to Ukraine regarding a political and diplomatic initiative aimed at ending the war. ‘It depends on Ukraine to decide whether or not to cooperate in discussing a memorandum that will define the framework for a future peace agreement, as proposed by Moscow,’ stated the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry. During the press briefing, Maria Zakharova emphasized that Ukraine’s European allies tried but failed to prevent the resumption of direct dialogue between Kyiv and Moscow. Reacting to the new series of European sanctions targeting Russia’s ‘shadow fleet,’ the Russian Foreign Ministry representative noted that Russia does not respond to ultimatums. Earlier today, sanctions were introduced aiming at new tanker ‘ghosts’ assisting Moscow in bypassing restrictions on Russian oil exports. Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced after speaking with U.S. President Donald Trump that Russia is ready to cooperate with Ukraine on drafting such a memorandum, potentially including a ceasefire and key conflict resolution points.