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Ceasefire, Prisoner Release, and Stolen Children: Ukraine Sets Red Lines for New Russia Talks
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukraine will participate in a second round of negotiations with Russia, scheduled to take place Monday in Istanbul, according to a statement shared on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s official Telegram channel on July 1.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will lead Kyiv’s delegation at the talks, which are set to begin at 1:00 p.m. Kyiv time at the Çırağan Palace in the Turkish capital.
President Zelenskyy held a high-level meeting Sunday with senior officials from Ukraine’s security, defense, and diplomatic services ahead of the negotiations. In his remarks, he outlined Ukraine’s core demands and strategic objectives.
I heard reports from the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the General Staff, our intelligence agencies, and the Security Service of Ukraine. Our defense, our active actions, and our diplomacy.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 1, 2025
We are doing everything to protect our independence,… pic.twitter.com/MAz2stbUUR
“First – a full and unconditional ceasefire. Second – the release of prisoners. Third – the return of abducted children,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine remains fully committed to defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity while seeking solutions through diplomacy.
“We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state, and our people,” the President said.
“I outlined the tasks for the near term and also defined our positions ahead of the meeting in Istanbul on Monday.”
The President also noted that certain key issues “can only be resolved by the leaders,” indicating that Ukraine is preparing for a potential future meeting between national leaders, should conditions permit.
Russian state media report that Moscow’s delegation has already departed for Istanbul.
According to those reports, the composition of the Russian delegation will remain the same as in the first round of talks, though further details have not been officially confirmed.
Earlier, Zelenskyy said that neither Ukraine nor its partners have received any clear indication of what Russia intends to propose at the upcoming talks in Istanbul, casting doubt on Moscow’s seriousness about negotiations.
