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Ukraine’s proposed memorandum to Russia includes provisions for a ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea, to be monitored by international partners, the New York Times (NYT) reported on May 30, citing an unnamed senior Ukrainian official.

Ukraine has submitted its document to the Russian side ahead of a second round of peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow that may take place in Istanbul on June 2, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on May 28.

The points reported by NYT echo Ukraine’s and its partners’ long-standing call for a comprehensive, unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days — a proposal Russia has consistently ignored.

The peace talks in Istanbul also concluded on May 16 with no agreement between the two sides on a ceasefire. Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhii Kyslytsia, who was present at the Istanbul talks, said that Russia’s negotiating team in Istanbul has repeatedly stated that “an unconditional ceasefire is categorically unacceptable.”

Moscow has proposed June 2 as the date for the next round of talks with Ukraine, despite escalating its attacks on the country.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on May 29 that the Russian delegation, led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, is prepared to present the ceasefire memorandum to the Ukrainian side and provide necessary clarifications during the next Istanbul meeting.

Presidential Office Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak said that Ukraine is ready to hold the new round of talks next week but insists on receiving the memorandum in advance.

Reuters reported that Putin’s conditions for ending Russia’s war against Ukraine include a written pledge by NATO not to accept more Eastern European members, lifting of some sanctions, and Ukraine’s neutral status, among other demands.

Analysis: Past 48 hours show how unlikely any diplomatic breakthrough is today

By Ivor Bennett, Moscow correspondent

The talk will be of peace today in Istanbul, but the build-up has been all about war.

Both sides have stepped up their attacks ahead of the next round of talks in a bid to assert their dominance and strengthen their hand at the negotiating table.

Ukraine with its audacious attack on Russia’s long-range bombers – and Moscow with its largest drone attack of the war so far, launching 472 drones across the border on Saturday night.

Watch: Ukraine strikes Russian bombers

Given that build-up, a breakthrough seems very unlikely.

The first round yielded the biggest prisoner exchange of the war so far, but that was all. That meeting last month was over after just two hours.

This time, the two sides are due to present their blueprints for peace, which may serve only to highlight how far apart they are.

According to Reuters news agency, Ukraine’s framework includes no restrictions on its military, no international recognition of Russia’s territorial claims in eastern Ukraine and reparations for Kyiv.

Judging by the noises coming from Moscow in recent weeks, Russia’s is the diametric opposite: permanent neutrality for Ukraine, no foreign troops there and that the four eastern territories its forces currently occupy become Russian in their entirety.

The aim of the talks is to bridge that gap, but clearly that will be challenging – partly because of how wide it is, but also because of what’s happened in the past 24 to 48 hours.