The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on 2 June that newly published Ukrainian and Russian memorandums highlight how far apart both sides remain after their latest negotiations the same day — with Russia repeating maximalist demands and Ukraine focusing on phased peace efforts and further dialogue.

Ukraine pushes for ceasefire, humanitarian steps, and lasting security

Ukraine’s memorandum, published by Suspilne on 1 June, outlines four core proposals:

• an unconditional ceasefire on land, sea, and in the air;
• confidence-building measures like returning all Ukrainian civilians and children and exchanging prisoners of war;
• a long-term peace agreement with firm security guarantees and full territorial integrity;
• and continued negotiations after the 2 June Istanbul meeting, including preparation for a Zelenskyy-Putin meeting.

Ukraine also insists on the right to join any security alliance, including NATO.

Nothing new: Russia repeats lang-grab recognition, regime-change, disarmament demands

Russia’s memorandum, published by TASS on 2 June, is split into three sections. The first demands Ukrainian recognition of Russia’s control over all of Ukraine’s Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson oblasts, and Crimea — and complete withdrawal from these territories. It also calls for permanent Ukrainian neutrality, cancellation of all military alliances, a total ban on foreign military presence, and strict protections for Russian-speaking populations.

The second section outlines two ceasefire options. The first requires Ukraine to withdraw beyond current front lines in all four oblasts. The second demands Kyiv demobilize, end martial law, cancel all foreign military support and intelligence sharing, and organize presidential elections within 100 days of martial law ending.

The third section proposes a short ceasefire to recover bodies, followed by a 30-day timeline for Ukrainian withdrawal and eventual signing of a peace deal — only after Ukraine forms a new government.

ISW: Russia still aims for total Ukrainian capitulation

ISW notes that these demands are consistent with the Kremlin’s longstanding goals: territorial gains, military and political control over Ukraine, and the installation of a pro-Russian government. As of 2 June 2025, Russia occupies 79.8% of the four contested oblasts, while Ukraine retains around 21,600 square kilometers, including major cities like Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Kramatorsk, Kostiantynivka, and Sloviansk. ISW adds that Russian forces have not shown the ability to capture cities of that scale since early 2022.

“Russian forces have not demonstrated the capacity to seize cities of this size since early 2022, and the Russian military is almost certainly incapable of conducting a successful offensive operation to seize one of these cities after three years of war and degradation,” the think tank wrote.

Child deportation claims briefly raised, dismissed by Russia

ISW also summarizes that Ukraine presented Russia with a list of hundreds of abducted children, which Russia dismissed. Kremlin negotiator Medinsky said the list included 331 names and denied mass abductions. Ukraine has verified the deportation of at least 19,456 children, with only 1,345 returned. Russia’s children’s commissioner previously claimed 700,000 Ukrainian children had been “accepted” by Russia.

Russian delegates call abducted children issue “show for childless European grandmothers”

President Vladimir Putin outlined specific conditions for ending the war in Ukraine, including written commitments from Western leaders to halt NATO’s eastward expansion and lift portions of sanctions on Russia.

Three Russian sources with knowledge of negotiations told Reuters that Putin demands written guarantees from major Western powers against NATO enlargement eastward, effectively ruling out membership for Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and other former Soviet republics.

Additional conditions include Ukrainian neutrality, partial Western sanctions relief, resolution of frozen Russian sovereign assets in the West, and protections for Russian speakers in Ukraine.

One source indicated that if Putin cannot secure a deal on his terms, he will demonstrate through military victories that “peace tomorrow will be even more painful” for Ukrainians and Europeans.

“Putin is ready to make peace but not at any price,” one senior Russian source with knowledge of top-level Kremlin thinking said.

Putin and Russian officials have consistently stated that any peace agreement must address what they term the conflict’s “root causes” – referring to “NATO expansion” and Western support for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine rejects granting Russia veto power over its NATO aspirations and urges strong Western security guarantees to deter future Russian attacks. NATO also previously stated it will not modify its “open door” policy due to Moscow’s demands. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly stated that Ukraine will not accept any agreements or deals about its future that are made without its direct involvement and emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasized that Ukraine’s return to neutral, non-aligned, and non-nuclear status remains a condition for conflict resolution.

Following a two-hour conversation with Trump last week, Putin also announced agreement to work with Ukraine on a memorandum establishing peace accord parameters, including ceasefire timing. Russia says it is currently drafting its version of the memorandum without providing a timeline for completion. Ukrainian and European officials have accused Moscow of deliberate delays while troops advance in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha claimed that Russia’s intensified demands mirror the aggressive posture of 2022 during previous Istanbul peace talks. The Institute for the Study of War warned that accepting Russia’s terms would effectively mean Ukraine’s capitulation and threaten its sovereignty.