By Blessing Nweke

As fresh rounds of peace negotiations loom, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has voiced deep skepticism over Russia’s intentions, accusing Moscow of sabotaging progress ahead of scheduled talks in Istanbul on Monday. Despite the Kremlin confirming the attendance of a delegation, it has yet to submit formal proposals—Kyiv’s key demand for any meaningful engagement.

“Russia is doing everything it can to ensure the next possible meeting is fruitless,” Zelensky said, emphasizing that Ukraine had already provided its own vision for a ceasefire and expected the same in return.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow’s conditions for a ceasefire would be tabled in Turkey but refused to make them public. He said a high-level summit, involving Presidents Putin and Zelensky, would only happen if preliminary discussions made significant progress.

Meanwhile, deadly explosions rattled both sides. In Ukraine’s Kherson region, three were killed and 10 injured in strikes on residential and critical infrastructure. Explosions were also reported in Kharkiv, Izyum, and Russia’s Kursk region, where at least seven were injured.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reiterated Kyiv’s readiness for an “unconditional ceasefire,” stating that Ukraine wants the war to end this year. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan echoed this sentiment, expressing hope for a future summit including Trump, Putin, and Zelensky.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump, following a call with Putin earlier this month, claimed talks toward a ceasefire would “immediately start.” However, Ukrainian officials dismissed Putin’s suggestion of a “future memorandum” as a stalling tactic.

Tensions escalated further after Trump publicly condemned Putin following massive Russian drone and missile attacks, while Germany pledged new missile support for Ukraine—drawing sharp warnings from the Kremlin.