Moscow: Russia on Wednesday announced that its efforts to finalize a memorandum outlining key principles for establishing peace with Ukraine are nearing completion. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov informed journalists that the work on this significant document is in its "final stages" and is expected to be released soon, though he noted there has been no update on Ukraine's progress in this regard.

According to Anadolu Agency, Peskov emphasized that Russia is also gearing up for the next round of negotiations with Ukraine, with plans to maintain ongoing contact with the United States. He acknowledged the "considerable" efforts by Washington to mediate a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, which has entered its fourth year, and expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump for his personal involvement in the mediation efforts.

On May 19, a significant development occurred during a phone call exceeding two hours between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders agreed on Russia's commitment to work with Ukraine on the peace memorandum. This follows the first direct talks in three years held in Istanbul, where both sides agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each and to pursue continued negotiations for a ceasefire.

When questioned about the contents of the draft memorandum, Peskov refrained from revealing details, citing the need for a "discrete, non-public" process. He stressed that neither party involved in the conflict would compromise on their national interests, adding that, similar to the United States, Russia prioritizes its national interests, which are paramount for the country and its president.

Regarding the scheduling of the next round of peace talks, Peskov stated that no decision has been finalized yet. He mentioned that a position paper is in preparation to address the conditions for a temporary truce and ceasefire; meanwhile, the "special military operation" continues.

On the potential for a meeting between President Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Peskov noted that such a meeting should be contingent upon specific agreements being reached between the respective delegations across various domains.