Russia sends peace proposal after Ukraine prisoner swap

RT quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as emphasizing that Moscow is actively working on a text that is consistent with the content agreed upon during talks in Istanbul (Turkey) between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators last week.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Photo: TASS.

The preparation and submission of a draft peace proposal was one of two key agreements reached by Moscow and Kiev during the meeting in Istanbul – the first direct talks between the two sides since 2022.

The second deal is a large-scale prisoner exchange involving 1,000 people from each side, starting on May 23. Moscow and Kiev are still trying to carry out further exchanges later this week.

Foreign Minister Lavrov added that Russia's peace proposal would include "conditions for reaching a comprehensive, sustainable and long-term agreement on a peaceful solution".

“As soon as the prisoner exchange is over, we will be ready to send this draft document to the Ukrainian side,” Lavrov told journalists on May 23, adding that the proposal is “currently being finalized.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on May 19 that he agreed with US President Donald Trump that the next step toward resolving the Ukraine conflict should be a memorandum outlining the principles and timeline for a peaceful solution.

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