Russia, Ukraine expected to discuss peace memorandums in Istanbul: Kremlin

China

Russia, Ukraine expected to discuss peace memorandums in Istanbul: Kremlin

2025-05-31 09:30 Last Updated At：19:57

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced Friday the Russian delegation is scheduled to depart for Istanbul and will be ready to begin a new round of talks with Ukraine on Monday morning.

The Kremlin expects both Russian and Ukrainian draft peace memorandums to be reviewed during tupcoming negotiations, but Russia will not reveal its memorandum to the public, Peskov said.

Peskov added that the two sides will discuss conditions for a potential temporary truce, with safe navigation in the Black Sea likely to be a key component of any future agreement.

He also noted that high-level contacts between Russian, U.S., and Ukrainian leaders are possible, depending on the outcome of the talks.

During a joint press conference with visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the same day, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine intends to continue peace talks with Russia, and expects to receive Russia's draft peace memorandum ahead of Monday's meeting.

Sybiha said Ukraine wants to end the war this year and is ready to discuss the possibility of a ceasefire with Russia. He also said Ukraine welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump's participation in the meeting between Ukrainian and Russian leaders.

Fidan, who visited Russia earlier this week and is in Kiev on Friday, said Türkiye hopes to host Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the next round of peace talks after Monday's meeting, which would also include U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

On May 16, Russia and Ukraine held their first face-to-face negotiations since March 2022 in Istanbul, with the two sides agreeing to a large-scale exchange of prisoners involving 1,000 people from each side.

Film IP fuels expansion of consumer market

China's movie industry is increasingly deriving its earnings from broader consumer economy.

Released during the 2025 summer season, the film "Nobody" became China's highest-grossing two-dimensional animated film -- and its success went beyond theaters.

Through licensing and brand partnerships, the movie has generated 2.5 billion yuan (about 358.3 million U.S. dollars) in retail sales to consumers, with more than 800 licensed products on the market.

Ranging from plush toys to food and home goods, the movie-related merchandise can be purchased from over 3,000 online and offline outlets.

Meanwhile, souvenir stores are crowded at Shanghai Disneyland's Zootopia themed land, with hats, plush toys, and collectibles seeing steady demand from visitors.

"China's film industry is no longer defined by box office revenue alone. It has become a new growth engine that links and energizes multiple cultural sectors. At the heart of every successful film is strong storytelling. High-quality productions create cultural value, which in turn enhances the commercial value of intellectual property and opens up new consumption opportunities. I believe China's film industry delivered an outstanding performance in the past year," said Chen Xiaoda, vice dean of Shanghai Vancouver Film School.