Ukraine war latest: Russia says ceasefire alone can't end war; Macron warns world not to abandon Ukraine to focus on Asia

Zelenskyy condemns Russia's approach to potential peace talks and denounces latest strikes on 'ordinary civilian life'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised Russia for its approach to potential peace talks in Turkey next week.

"For a meeting to be meaningful, its agenda must be clear, and the negotiations must be properly prepared," he said. 

"Unfortunately, Russia is doing everything it can to ensure that the next potential meeting brings no results."

As we've been reporting, Ukraine is refusing to commit to talks in Istanbul on Monday 2 June, unless Russia provides a list of its conditions for ending the war.

That follows the first direct talks between the two sides in more than three years, also in Istanbul, earlier this month.

Ukraine's delegation left those talks frustrated, after Russia presented demands the Ukrainians couldn't agree to.

Zelenskyy also criticised Russia's ongoing drone strikes earlier today.

Posting on X, he said of a strike on Kharkiv that destroyed a bus depot and damaged nearby residential buildings. "A typical Russian strike on ordinary civilian life."

He added: "In total, Russians used 90 attack drones and two ballistic missiles overnight. 

"Such strikes happen every day.

"The vast majority target civilian infrastructure and have no military purpose. 

"Russia's strategy is simply to destroy lives."

Medinsky to lead Russian delegation at talks in Istanbul

Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky will again head Russia's delegation in Istanbul on 2 June for the second round of Russia-Ukraine talks and will bring a memorandum and other ceasefire proposals, the Russian foreign ministry has said this afternoon.

As we've been reporting today, Ukraine is yet to reply to Russia's proposals to hold the talks in Istanbul next week.

Ukrainian officials have said they are ready to resume direct peace talks with Russia but have insisted that the Kremlin provide a promised memorandum setting out its position on ending the war.

"Ukraine is ready to attend the next meeting, but we want to engage in a constructive discussion," Andrii Yermak, head of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, said in a statement yesterday.

"This means it is important to receive Russia's draft. There is enough time - four days are sufficient for preparing and sending the documents."

Ukraine and its European allies have repeatedly accused the Kremlin of dragging its feet in peace efforts, while it tries to press its army’s battlefield initiative and capture more Ukrainian land.

Russia tells UN simple ceasefire can't end war in Ukraine

Russia has told the United Nations Security Council today that a simple ceasefire is not enough to end Moscow's war in Ukraine.

"To achieve a sustainable and lasting settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, we need to address its root causes," Russia's UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council. 

"What we're proposing is a second round of talks in Istanbul this coming Monday... where we can exchange memoranda about both parties approaches to the negotiations process."

We've been reporting today on Russia's proposed talks in Istanbul on 2 June.

The Kremlin has not indicated what it wants to discuss specifically but Ukraine has said Russia must provide a promised memorandum setting out its position on ending the war if they are to attend.

Ukraine's memorandum proposes ceasefire on land, air and sea

Ukraine's proposed memorandum to Russia includes provisions for a ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea, with monitoring to be carried out by international partners, the New York Times reports, citing an unnamed senior Ukrainian official.

This week, Ukraine's defence minister Rustem Umerov said Ukraine had personally handed a document setting out Ukraine's position to the Russian side.

He also said that Ukraine is not opposed to further direct talks with Russia, but that they would be "empty" if Moscow was to fail to clarify its terms.

Now, a senior Ukrainian official has told the New York Times that their memorandum "included provisions for a ceasefire on land, at sea and in the air, with monitoring to be carried out by international partners".

Macron warns US and Indo-Pacific not to abandon Ukraine amid potential China conflict

Emmanuel Macron has warned the US and a large audience of Indo-Pacific nations that they risk a double standard as they concentrate on a potential conflict with China if that shift comes at the cost of abandoning Ukraine.

Macron's remarks come as the US considers withdrawing troops from Europe to shift them to the Indo-Pacific. 

The French leader warned that abandoning Ukraine would eventually erode US credibility in deterring any potential conflict with China over Taiwan.

"I will be clear, France is a friend and an ally of the United States, and is a friend, and we do cooperate - even if sometimes we disagree and compete - with China," he said.

He emphasised the need for building new coalitions between Paris and partners in the Indo-Pacific and said Asia and Europe have a common interest in preventing the disintegration of the global order.

"The time for non-alignment has undoubtedly passed, but the time for coalitions of action has come, and requires that countries capable of acting together give themselves every means to do so," he added.

EU 'will provide security guarantees to Ukraine'

French President Emmanuel Macron says the EU will "work together to the very end" to provide security guarantees to Ukraine.

He says the EU needs to reinvest in its own security because "Russia will remain a threat for us".

Macron says Europe will increase spending on defence and security in line with requests from Donald Trump's US.

He says this is important so the EU "is not dependent on anybody".

-SKY NEWS