Ukraine-Russia Talks Result In Prisoner Swap, Yet No Ceasefire Reached

Peace Negotiations Resume in Istanbul as Tensions Mount

Ukraine and Russia restart peace talks in Istanbul, their first direct diplomatic contact since 2022. Although both parties agreed in principle to restart talks, there are deep-seated disagreements that persist, and they exchanged insults ahead of the meeting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent Defence Minister Rustem Umerov to head the Kyiv delegation, with Russia sending a junior team led by ex-culture minister Vladimir Medinsky.

Demands for a Putin-Zelenskyy Summit Mount

Kyiv demanded a face-to-face meeting of President Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, demanding that only such top-level negotiations could create genuine progress. “We believe that if we want to be able to progress, we need to have the leaders’ meeting,” Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy said. But Moscow remained reluctant to welcome the offer with President Putin rebuffing efforts to go to Turkey and opting to send instead his deputies.

No Ceasefire in Sight, But Exchange of Prisoners Hailed

Though no ceasefire accord was achieved, both sides recognized the exchange of prisoners as a “great result.” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who led the session, declared that the two parties in principle agreed to meet again and present ceasefire initiatives in written form.

Russia’s Tough Conditions Slow Down Momentum

In spite of some advances, Russian negotiators were said to have made contentious demands, including Ukrainian withdrawal of troops from areas now under Kyiv’s control. A Ukrainian representative said Moscow’s proposals were intended to undermine the talks. Russia also warned of seizing control of Sumy and Kharkiv, two Ukrainian provinces on the Russian border, even though it had not done so before.

Trump and Western Leaders Loom Over Talks

Trump has questioned the efficacy of the talks, stating “nothing’s going to happen” until he sits down with Putin. Ukraine’s officials in the meantime conducted side discussions in Istanbul with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump envoy Keith Kellogg, and national security advisors from Britain, Germany, and France. Rubio underlined the imperative for peace and the need to end the bloodshed.

Although the Istanbul gathering did not collapse, the road to peace is still uncertain. Ukraine continues to stick to diplomacy, but Russia’s ultimatums and hesitations on a leaders’ summit may disrupt subsequent progress.