Moscow Sets June 2 Istanbul Talks as Russia Pushes Demands, Plans Oreshnik Deployment in Belarus

Moscow has proposed holding the next round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks on June 2 in Istanbul, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced during a press briefing. These talks are intended to continue the dialogue that began during the earlier meeting in Istanbul on May 16.

Lavrov explained that both sides agreed to prepare documents outlining their positions aimed at reaching a lasting solution. According to him, Russia promptly drafted a memorandum detailing its stance on what it calls the “root causes” of the crisis. However, these “root causes” reflect Moscow’s long-standing maximalist demands, repeated since the start of the war, which Russia uses to justify its aggression.

Among the key points in Russia’s memorandum are Kyiv’s withdrawal from the four partially occupied Ukrainian regions that Russia claims as annexed territory. The document also reportedly includes a written commitment that NATO will not expand eastward, thereby blocking Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova from joining. Additionally, Russia seeks the lifting of some Western sanctions, the resolution of frozen Russian assets, and protections for Russian-speaking Ukrainians.

Lavrov added that the Russian delegation, led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, is ready to present this memorandum to Ukraine and provide clarifications during the June 2 talks in Istanbul.

Meanwhile, Belarus plans to host multiple Russian Oreshnik missile systems by the end of 2025, according to Alexander Volfovich, State Secretary of Belarus’ Security Council. The Oreshnik is an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) touted by Russia as an advanced weapon capable of evading air defenses.

In December 2024, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko requested Moscow to deploy 10 such missile systems in Belarus, as reported by pro-Kremlin journalist Alexander Yunashev. Volfovich confirmed that deployment sites have already been selected but did not specify the number of systems to be stationed.

These claims have not been independently verified. The Oreshnik missile was first launched by Russia against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on November 21, 2024. Although designed to carry nuclear warheads, this particular missile was not armed with one during the attack.

The missile strike came shortly after Kyiv’s first successful use of U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles against targets in Russia. Moscow later admitted to further ATACMS strikes on locations in Kursk and Bryansk regions. Despite President Vladimir Putin’s statement about mass-producing the Oreshnik, a U.S. official told The Kyiv Independent that Russia likely only has a limited number of these experimental missiles.

Belarus remains a close ally of Moscow and has been reported to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons since the two countries signed an agreement in May 2023. Lukashenko claimed in December 2023 that the transfer of these nuclear arms to Belarus was completed earlier that October.

However, Ukraine’s foreign intelligence chief Oleh Ivashchenko recently stated that while Belarus possesses nuclear delivery systems, it does not have nuclear warheads on its territory.