The peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives concluded in Istanbul on Monday, running over an hour longer than scheduled. While they agreed on plans for a prisoner exchange, there wasn’t any significant progress on a ceasefire.
Since March 2022, the second round of discussions between Kyiv and Moscow yielded a commitment to return fallen soldiers’ bodies, alongside a large exchange of prisoners of war.
More than a dozen delegates from each side participated in the meeting held at the Silaghan Palace in Istanbul. The Ukrainian delegation was led by Rasmem Umerov, while the Russian side was headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Putin.
The United States has been active in urging for a ceasefire, though the Kremlin seems reluctant to come to a definitive agreement on halting the conflict.
The talks appeared to take a step back over the weekend. Ukraine launched a surprise drone strike on a Russian air base, coinciding with Moscow’s deployment of 472 drones in Ukraine.
Key highlights from the discussions include:
Broad Peace Plans from Both Sides
Ukraine and Russia remain far apart regarding how to conclude the ongoing war, which has seen Moscow secure around 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, annexed back in 2014.
Umerov emphasized that Ukraine demands a “complete and unconditional ceasefire” to halt all forms of conflict on land, air, and sea for at least 30 days. He noted that Ukraine had presented a truce proposal to Russia just a few days prior, but Moscow didn’t respond until this week’s discussions. Progress might be stalled, as Ukrainian officials suspect that Russia isn’t keen on quickly resolving the situation.
Kyiv is also seeking reparations and insists that the international community must not recognize any Russian territorial claims on parts of Ukraine currently under occupation, as reported.
Conversely, Russia indicated a desire for a long-term resolution contingent on an end to hostilities but rejected an unconditional ceasefire without addressing its primary demands.
While neither side’s ceasefire proposals have been publicly shared, Russian media highlighted Moscow’s requests, which include considerations around NATO, limits on the size of Ukrainian forces, and restrictions blocking Ukraine from joining military alliances. Moscow also demands recognition of the Russian language and lifting international sanctions.
Additionally, Russia proposed a brief ceasefire lasting “two to three days” in select areas along the front line to allow both sides to retrieve deceased soldiers.
Plans for Prisoner Exchange
Officials from both nations agreed to continue negotiations on exchanging additional prisoners and returning the remains of approximately 12,000 dead soldiers.
Details on the number of prisoners to be exchanged remain undisclosed, but it’s reported to include young individuals and those with serious injuries.
Ukrainian President Voldimer Zelensky mentioned that Ukraine aims to return 1,200 prisoners and maintain an exchange format of one-for-one.
During an online press conference, Zelensky added that future exchanges could encompass journalists and political prisoners held in Russia.
The last significant exchange was conducted from May 23rd to May 25th, agreeing on 1,000 individuals in total.
Zelensky also pointed out that nearly 400 children have been forcibly taken to Russia, presenting Moscow with a list of those names during discussions in Istanbul. Russia claims these children were “saved” for their protection amid conflict.
Following a Drone Attack in Ukraine
In the meantime, Ukraine reported a significant drone assault on Russian air bases on Sunday, claiming to have destroyed over 40 fighter jets, which includes almost one-third of Moscow’s strategic bomber fleet.
Zelensky welcomed these strikes, which reached five regions within Russia, including the Arctic, Siberia, and the Far East.
He indicated that the attack was the result of over a year and a half of preparations by Ukrainian security services.
Speaking at the Villinias summit in Lithuania on Monday, Zelensky suggested that such actions would pressure Moscow to engage in negotiations. “Russia needs to grasp the consequences of these losses, which could drive them towards diplomacy,” he stated.
While Ukraine has attacked Russian air bases before, Sunday’s strikes marked a significant escalation, occurring more than 4,000 miles from the border and targeting Kremlin assets.
What’s Next?
Ukraine has proposed further discussions by the end of the month but doesn’t anticipate that a peace agreement will be reached under the current negotiation framework.
Umerov expressed that a meeting between Zelensky and Putin might be necessary to clarify issues surrounding the ceasefire agreement.
President Trump has voiced growing frustration over the lack of progress in peace talks, remarking that he could swiftly end the war.
Recently, he criticized Putin, referencing a few consecutive days of disengagement from dialogue: “Absolutely crazy!”
Trump has suggested that the U.S. could impose substantial sanctions on Russia, though such actions have yet to be executed.
Instead, U.S. senators are poised to act, with Trump’s ally Senator Lindsey Graham announcing his intentions to advance a bill imposing sanctions on Russia before a G7 summit scheduled for late June.
