Russia, Ukraine collide over peace memorandum before announced second round of negotiations

The peace memorandum that Ukraine said it is expecting from Russia has triggered differences between the two countries before their announced second round of negotiations scheduled for June 2.

The two countries held their latest round of direct talks on May 16 -- their first face-to-face negotiations since March 2022 -- in Istanbul, but the meeting ended without a ceasefire agreement.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Tuesday that Moscow will send a draft peace memorandum to Kiev soon, which will outline the key principles of a potential settlement.

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that the between Russia and Ukraine will be held in Istanbul on June 2.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Russia has not received any response from Ukraine regarding Ukraine's participation in the negotiations, while the Ukrainian side on the same day said that Russia is unwilling to hand over the peace memorandum, which will outline the key principles of a potential settlement, before the scheduled negotiations.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said on Tuesday that Russia's so-called peace memorandum may not aim at advancing the peace process but rather to buy time, and the feasibility of its content is also questionable. Moscow's refusal to hand over this memorandum demonstrates a lack of sincerity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also said in a routine evening video address on Thursday that the memorandum Russia promised and was said to have prepared for over a week has not been submitted to Ukraine. He accused Moscow of buying time and the new round of negotiations will only be a formality.

In response, Peskov said on the same day that the request to hand over the peace memorandum to Ukraine in advance was not constructive and the country should first confirm if it will participate in the second round of peace negotiations.

Peskov said that currently, Russian President Vladimir Putin has no plan to hold meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump, but if it is necessary, the two sides can hold a phone talk anytime.

On the same day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Russia and Ukraine not to close the door of dialogue before they hold the second round of negotiations in Istanbul.

Following his visit to Russia and meeting with Putin on Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is currently on a visit to Ukraine and he is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other high-level officials.

He said Türkiye is well-positioned to serve as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia, offering a neutral ground for peace negotiations.

Russia, Ukraine collide over peace memorandum before announced second round of negotiations

Multiple states across Brazil have been gripped by an intense heatwave in recent days, prompting local authorities to issue weather alerts and urging residents to take precautions, with the high temperatures forecast to continue.

Southeastern states including Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais have been experiencing the most extreme heat, with temperatures climbing to a sweltering high of 40.8 degrees Celsius in Rio de Janeiro on Monday.

Authorities across the country have been sending out weather warnings, with residents being advised to avoid prolonged outdoor activities and medics reminding people to take measures to ensure they stay hydrated.

"[You have to] drink plenty of water, use a fan. There is not much you can do to escape it, really. It is absurdly hot," said Ana Flavia, a local resident in Sao Paulo.

"With this change in temperature and the excessive heat, we see a lot of cases of dehydration," said Tiago Foliate Pitirilo, a doctor from the city's Hospital Sao Camilo.

The sweltering heat may be around for a while more, according to experts, who say higher water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean mean Brazil is likely to face more frequent heatwaves this year.

"The ocean forecast indicates that in the second half of the year we will have a warmer Pacific Ocean. This allows us to infer that the number of heat waves in 2026 may be higher than last year, when the Pacific Ocean was cooler," said Marecelo Seluchi, a meteorologist from Brazil's National Center for Monitoring and Alerts for Natural Disasters (CEMADEN).

Brazil in midst of heatwave with more extreme temperatures expected