Limited progress in Istanbul: Ukraine, Russia agree to massive prisoner swap

Shafaq News

2 days ago

Shafaq News/ Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia ended on Monday in Istanbul after an hour of discussions without any major breakthrough.
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.
Medinsky said Moscow proposed a temporary ceasefire for two to three days in certain areas and exchanged a memorandum with Kyiv outlining steps toward a full ceasefire. Ukraine's delegation confirmed it had received the Russian document and would review it before responding.
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.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged both parties to move toward a ceasefire and proposed direct talks between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Umerov suggested another round of talks could take place before the end of June, although Moscow has not yet responded.
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.
The talks came amid intensified fighting and deep divisions over what a peace settlement should look like. Ukrainian drones targeted Russian strategic bombers on Sunday, and a missile attack in Dnipro killed at least 12 Ukrainian troops. Western intelligence indicated serious damage to Russia's bomber fleet, though Moscow downplayed the impact.
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.
Kyiv maintains that only a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin can resolve key issues. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, handed Moscow a list of children allegedly deported to Russia. Kyiv accused Moscow of forced relocations, while Russia claimed the children were evacuated from combat zones for safety.
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.
Russia controls nearly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, roughly equivalent to the US state of Ohio. The conflict has claimed or injured more than 1.2 million people since 2022, according to US estimates.
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.