**Russia and US Discuss Ukraine Peace Talks Ahead of Istanbul Meeting**
In a phone call on June 1, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The conversation came just ahead of planned peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow set for June 2 in Istanbul.
According to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, Lavrov and Rubio discussed various initiatives aimed at resolving the crisis, including plans to resume direct Russian-Ukrainian talks on June 2. The US State Department confirmed that Russia requested the call, with Rubio reiterating President Donald Trump’s call for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to achieve a lasting peace.
**Escalating Attacks and Maximalist Demands**
The phone call comes as tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate, despite calls from the international community for an unconditional ceasefire. The Kremlin has refused to agree to such a pause in fighting, instead maintaining its maximalist demands for Kyiv to withdraw completely from four Ukrainian oblasts.
These demands have been met with skepticism by many observers, given that Russia does not fully control any of these regions. In fact, the most recent peace talks on May 16 were largely unsuccessful, with no agreement reached on a ceasefire despite both sides agreeing to exchange prisoners of war (POWs) on a 1,000-for-1,000 basis.
**Russian Promises and Unfulfilled Obligations**
Russia had promised to reveal its peace terms following the prisoner exchange, but this has yet to happen. The country’s Foreign Ministry claimed that Rubio expressed his condolences over recent train derailment in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast, which borders Ukraine, during their phone call.
At least seven people died and another 69 were injured after a train derailed on May 31, following the collapse of an overhead road bridge. While no one has claimed responsibility for the bridge collapse, the incident highlights the risks faced by civilians in conflict zones.
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