The first direct talk between Russia and Ukraine ended on Friday after less than two hours since the early weeks of Moscow’s 2022 invasion. During the talk, both nations agreed to a large prisoner swap, however, there were considerable differences between them on the key conditions for ending the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he had discussed the results of the talks with US President Donald Trump and the leaders of France, Germany, the U.K., and Poland. He urged “tough sanctions” against Moscow in a post on X from a European leadership meeting in Albania if the country rejects “a full and unconditional ceasefire and an end to killings.”
As per the heads of both delegations, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each at the brief Istanbul talks. In addition, the chief Ukrainian delegate, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, confirmed that both sides also discussed a ceasefire and a meeting between their heads of state, according to a report by Associated Press.
On the other hand, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky claimed that both sides agreed to give detailed ceasefire proposals. And, Ukraine requested a meeting of the head of state, which Russia took under consideration.
Russia Introduced New And Unacceptable Demands: Ukraine
During the discussions, a senior Ukrainian official revealed that Russia had introduced new and “unacceptable demands,” including the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from vast areas of territory. Speaking anonymously to The Associated Press, the official noted these conditions had not been raised in earlier negotiations.
Ukraine reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing meaningful progress, specifically calling for an immediate ceasefire and a clear route to substantial diplomatic talks, aligning with proposals from the US, European allies, and other nations, the official said.
While both delegations sat across from each other at a U-shaped table in Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace, their positions on ending the war remained deeply divided. US President Donald Trump, who has urged both sides to stop the conflict, stated that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin would take place “as soon as we can arrange it.”
“I think it’s time for us to just do it,” Trump said in Abu Dhabi amid his trip to the Middle East.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan began the talks, requesting the delegates “to take advantage of this opportunity.” He called the ceasefire between the nations as a need of the hour as soon as possible.
Fidan also described the POW swap as a “confidence-building measure” in the social media post and said the parties had agreed in principle to meet again.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Tirana, Albania, attending a summit with leaders from 47 European nations to address issues of security, defense, and democratic values amid the ongoing war. He held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
“Pressure on Russia must be maintained until Russia is ready to end the war,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, sharing a photo of the five leaders during their second group discussion since May 10.
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