Latest news with #peace talks
Russia Today
a day ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Kremlin accuses Ukraine of ‘putting cart before horse'
Ukraine's calls for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky are premature, as the two sides have yet to make progress on major points of disagreement, the Kremlin said on Thursday following the latest round of peace talks. The negotiations, held in Istanbul the day before, lasted less than an hour. Both sides agreed on several humanitarian issues, including the exchange of prisoners of war, civilian detainees, and the repatriation of soldiers' remains. Russia has also proposed short-term ceasefires lasting 24 to 48 hours to facilitate the evacuation of wounded personnel and the recovery of bodies. In addition, Moscow has suggested the creation of three online working groups focused on political, humanitarian, and military issues. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that while 'no breakthrough was expected,' the humanitarian agreements reached during the meeting were a positive step. He described the continuation of such exchanges as 'an extremely important humanitarian aspect which should be on the agenda.' He added that Russia had presented a 'constructive, concrete' agenda that was 'aimed specifically at substantive work that can lead to the achievement of concrete results.' However, Peskov criticized Kiev's calls for an immediate summit between Putin and Zelensky, arguing that such a meeting should only happen after meaningful progress has been achieved at the working level. 'They are trying to put the cart before the horse. Work needs to be done, and only then can the heads of state be given the opportunity to record the achievements that have been made,' he said. The Kremlin spokesman also referred to the conclusion by Russia's lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, that the two sides continue to hold 'diametrically opposed' positions on key issues, as reflected in the draft memoranda they exchanged earlier in the negotiation process. Despite the stalemate on broader political questions, Moscow has expressed hope that a fourth round of talks could take place in the future.
Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Kremlin says it's hard to see how Putin and Zelenskiy could meet by end of August, RIA reports
MOSCOW, July 24 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Thursday that it was hard to see how Russian President Vladimir Putin could meet his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy before the end of August, Russian state news agency RIA reported. A Ukrainian delegate said after the latest brief round of peace talks between the two countries on Wednesday that Kyiv had proposed a Putin-Zelenskiy meeting in August because that would fall within the 50-day deadline that U.S. President Donald Trump had set last week for a deal. Trump has threatened new sanctions on Russia and buyers of its exports unless an agreement is reached by early September.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Russia and Ukraine agree new POW swaps but no progress on ceasefire talks
Russia and Ukraine discussed further prisoner swaps on Wednesday at a brief session of peace talks in Istanbul, but the sides remained far apart on ceasefire terms and a possible meeting of their leaders. 'We have progress on the humanitarian track, with no progress on a cessation of hostilities,' Ukraine's chief delegate, Rustem Umerov, said after talks that lasted just 40 minutes. He said Ukraine had proposed a meeting before the end of August between Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. He added: 'By agreeing to this proposal, Russia can clearly demonstrate its constructive approach.' Russia's chief delegate Vladimir Medinsky said the point of a leaders' meeting should be to sign an agreement, not to 'discuss everything from scratch'. He renewed Moscow's call for a series of short ceasefires of 24-48 hours to enable the retrieval of bodies. Ukraine says it wants an immediate and much longer ceasefire. The talks took place just over a week after the US president, Donald Trump, threatened heavy new sanctions on Russia and countries that buy its exports unless a peace deal was reached within 50 days. There was no sign of any progress towards that goal, although both sides said there was discussion of further humanitarian exchanges following a series of prisoner swaps, the latest of which took place on Wednesday. Medinsky said the negotiators agreed to exchange at least 1,200 more prisoners of war from each side, and Russia had offered to hand over another 3,000 Ukrainian bodies. He said Moscow was working through a list of 339 names of Ukrainian children that Kyiv accuses it of abducting. Russia denies that charge and says it has offered protection to children separated from their parents during the war. 'Some of the children have already been returned back to Ukraine. Work is under way on the rest. If their legal parents, close relatives, representatives are found, these children will immediately return home,' said Medinsky. Umerov said Kyiv was expecting 'further progress' on POWs, adding: 'We continue to insist on the release of civilians, including children.' Ukrainian authorities say at least 19,000 children have been forcibly deported. Before the talks, the Kremlin had played down expectations, describing the two sides' positions as diametrically opposed and saying no one should expect miracles. At 40 minutes, the meeting was even shorter than the two sides' previous encounters on 16 May and 2 June, which lasted a combined total of under three hours. Oleksandr Bevz, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, said Kyiv had proposed a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting in August because that would fall within the deadline set by Trump for a deal. Putin turned down a previous challenge from Ukraine's president to meet in person and has said he does not see him as a legitimate leader because Ukraine, which is under martial law, did not hold new elections when Zelenskyy's five-year mandate expired last year. Trump has patched up relations with Zelenskyy after a public row with him at the White House in February, and has lately expressed growing frustration with Putin. Three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters last week that Putin, unfazed by Trump's ultimatum, would keep fighting in Ukraine until the west engaged on his terms for peace, and that his territorial demands may widen as Russian forces advance.
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Ukraine updates: Third round of talks ends in Istanbul
According to media reports, the Ukrainian and Russian delegations concluded their negotiations in Istanbul by agreeing to carry out another prisoner exchange. The Russian state news agency TASS reported that the talks lasted around 40 minutes. The negotiation team leaders from Ukraine and Russia are in one-on-one talks in Istanbul, news agencies have reported. Russia's Vladimir Medinsky and Ukraine's Rustem Umerov reportedly met ahead of a third round of peace talks. Russia says agreed with Ukraine to swap 1,200 POW each Moscow and Kyiv have agreed to exchange 1,200 prisoners of war each during peace talks in Istanbul, a Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said after the talks in Istanbul. In addition to the POW exchange, Russia also offered to hand Ukraine the bodies of 3,000 killed soldiers, the negotiator added. "Continuing the exchange of prisoners of war, we have agreed that at least 1,200 additional prisoners of war will be exchanged on both sides in the near future," Medinsky said at a press conference. Medinsky also said that Russia offered Ukraine a 24-hour to 48-hour ceasefire. When asked about Kyiv's bid for a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Medinsky said such a meeting should only be for signing documents and not for holding discussions. "We discussed at length the positions set out by our sides in the memoranda submitted last time. The positions are quite distant. We agreed to continue contacts," Medinsky told reporters.
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
No progress on ceasefire deal after Russia-Ukraine peace talks
Russia and Ukraine discussed further prisoner swaps overnight at a brief session of peace talks in Istanbul, but the sides remained far apart on ceasefire terms and a possible meeting of their leaders. "We have progress on the humanitarian track, with no progress on a cessation of hostilities," Ukraine's chief delegate Rustem Umerov said after talks that lasted just 40 minutes. He said Ukraine had proposed a meeting before the end of August between Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He added: "By agreeing to this proposal, Russia can clearly demonstrate its constructive approach." Russia's chief delegate Vladimir Medinsky said the point of a leaders' meeting should be to sign an agreement, not to "discuss everything from scratch". He renewed Moscow's call for a series of short ceasefires of 24-48 hours to enable the retrieval of bodies. Ukraine says it wants an immediate and much longer ceasefire. The talks took place just over a week after US President Donald Trump threatened heavy new sanctions on Russia and countries that buy its exports unless a peace deal was reached within 50 days. There was no sign of any progress towards that goal, although both sides said there was discussion of further humanitarian exchanges following a series of prisoner swaps, the latest of which took place on Wednesday. Medinsky said the negotiators agreed to exchange at least 1,200 more prisoners of war (POWs) from each side, and Russia had offered to hand over another 3,000 Ukrainian bodies. He said Russia was working through a list of 339 names of Ukrainian children that Ukraine accuses it of abducting. Russia denies that charge and says it has offered protection to children separated from their parents during the war. "Some of the children have already been returned back to Ukraine. Work is underway on the rest. If their legal parents, close relatives, representatives are found, these children will immediately return home," Medinsky said. Vladimir Medinsky was the head of a delegation from Russia in peace talks with Ukraine. Source: AAP / Alexander Ryumin/TASS/Sipa USA Umerov said Ukraine was expecting "further progress" on POWs, adding: "We continue to insist on the release of civilians, including children." Ukrainian authorities say at least 19,000 children have been forcibly deported. Shortest talks yet Before the talks, the Kremlin had played down expectations, describing the two sides' positions as diametrically opposed and saying no one should expect miracles. At 40 minutes, the meeting was even shorter than the two sides' previous encounters on 16 May and 2 June, which lasted a combined total of under three hours. Oleksandr Bevz, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, said his country had proposed a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting in August because that would fall within the deadline set by Trump for a deal. Putin turned down a previous challenge from Zelenskyy to meet in person and has said he does not see him as a legitimate leader because Ukraine, which is under martial law, did not hold new elections when Zelenskyy's five-year mandate expired last year. Trump has patched up relations with Zelenskyy after a public row with him at the White House in February, and has lately expressed growing frustration with Putin. Three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters last week that Putin, unfazed by Trump's ultimatum, would keep fighting in Ukraine until the West engaged on his terms for peace, and that his territorial demands may widen as Russian forces advance.
