Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have outlined conditions for ending the war in Ukraine, including a written promise from Western leaders to halt NATO's eastward expansion and lift some sanctions against Russia, Reuters reported, citing three Russian sources, Ukrinform reported, quoted by BTA.
“Putin is ready to make peace, but not at any price“, said one of the senior Russian sources familiar with the thinking at the highest level in the Kremlin.
The three Russian sources say Putin wants a written promise from major Western countries not to expand the US-led NATO alliance eastward - in other words, excluding Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova and other former Soviet republics from membership.
Russia also wants Ukraine to be neutral, some Western sanctions to be lifted, a resolution to the the issue of frozen Russian sovereign assets in the West and to ensure protection for Russian speakers in Ukraine.
The first source said that if Putin realizes that he is unable to reach a peace agreement on his own terms, he will try to show Ukrainians and Europeans through military victories that “tomorrow's peace will be even more painful“.
NATO has said in the past that it will not change its “open door“ policy only because Moscow demands it, Ukrinform reports.
The first Reuters source said that if Putin sees a tactical opportunity on the battlefield, he will continue to advance in Ukraine, and that the Kremlin believes that Russia can fight for years, regardless of sanctions and economic hardships imposed by the West.
The second source said that Putin is no longer so inclined to compromise on territory and is sticking to his public position that he wants to get all four regions in eastern Ukraine that Russia claims.
“Putin has hardened his position“, the second source said on the territory issue.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has spoken with his US counterpart Marco Rubio about preparing "concrete proposals" for the next round of direct talks with Kiev, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA, citing a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Lavrov also discussed with Rubio the implementation of the agreements between Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, reached during their telephone conversation a week ago, according to a statement on the ministry's website.
Lavrov earlier said that Russia proposed that the next talks be held on Monday in Istanbul.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, for his part, said today that Kiev had already submitted its version of the peace memorandum to the Russian delegation, Reuters notes.
He urged Moscow to share its version of the memorandum without delay.
"We are not opposed to further meetings with the Russians and are expecting their "memorandum" so that the meeting is not in vain and can really brought us closer to ending the war", Umerov stressed, after the Russian side proposed that the next meeting be held in Istanbul on June 2.
"The Russian side has at least four more days before its departure to provide us with its document for review", he stressed.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful said that he sees a fundamental unanimity with the US in the pursuit of peace in Ukraine, despite the existing differences, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
“On many issues, as we were able to see again today, we share the same interests and goals - for example, when it comes to sustainable peace for Ukraine“, the minister said after his first meeting with his American counterpart Marco Rubio in Washington.
Last night he spoke with Rubio for about 15 minutes in private, and then for another 30 minutes in the composition of delegation.
„We both want an immediate ceasefire. This has been repeatedly emphasized“, said Vaddeful, adding: „That is why we agreed today that we will closely coordinate the next steps so that (Russian President) Vladimir Putin finally sits at the negotiating table, so that Russia finally starts serious negotiations“.
It is important to keep up the pressure, the minister said.
Vaddeful's trip also served as preparation for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to the United States. Merz announced his intention to travel to Washington soon and meet with US President Donald Trump, DPA reported.
Russian air defenses have shot down three Ukrainian drones launched at Moscow, the mayor of the Russian capital, Sergei Sobyanin, announced early this morning, as quoted by Reuters and BTA.
Wreckage from a downed Ukrainian drone fell on a residential building on Vernadsky Boulevard in the south of Moscow, the mayor wrote on his Telegram channel.
"As a result of the coverage of an enemy drone attack, no serious damage or injuries were found in the residential building on Vernadsky Boulevard," Sobyanin added, quoted by TASS.
The Russian Civil Aviation Service - "Rosaviatsia" announced restrictions on the operation of the capital's "Vnukovo" airport.
The Russian army announced that it had shot down almost 300 Ukrainian drones in several regions of the country on Tuesday night. According to Sobyanin, more than 20 drones launched against Moscow were shot down at that time.