The meeting, held at the historic Ciragan Palace and mediated by Turkish officials, brought together Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Vladimir Medinsky, a senior adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin. It marked the second direct contact between the two sides since 2022.
Despite the brief meeting and low expectations, both sides agreed on the largest prisoner exchange of the conflict so far, covering all wounded soldiers and the return of more than 6,000 bodies each.
Zelenskyy, speaking from Vilnius, warned that if the negotiations fail to deliver concrete results, immediate action should be taken. “If the Istanbul meeting brings nothing, that clearly means strong new sanctions are urgently needed,” Zelenskyy noted, calling on the European Union to finalize its 18th sanctions package and pressing US President Donald Trump to target Russian oil, shipping, and banking.
Ahead of the talks, pro-war Russian bloggers had urged Moscow to deliver a retaliatory strike against Kyiv. The discussions began two hours later than scheduled, with no explanation for the delay.
Russia’s opening terms for a peace deal remain unchanged: Ukraine must abandon its NATO aspirations and withdraw from four occupied regions. In contrast, Kyiv demanded no limits on its military strength, no recognition of Russia’s territorial claims, and full reparations.
Trump, speaking last week, called Putin “crazy” but said peace was still possible—if Moscow shows intent to end the war. He warned that the US might withdraw support if there is no progress.
No date has been set for the next round of talks, leaving the future of the Istanbul peace initiative uncertain.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Limited progress in Istanbul: Ukraine, Russia agree to massive prisoner swap )
Also on site :