Russia and Ukraine Agree to Hold Further Peace Talks After Istanbul Meeting

Moscow and Kyiv agreed during talks in Istanbul on May 16 to continue discussions aimed at ending the war against Ukraine, head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky reported following the meeting on May 16.

Both sides agreed to submit detailed proposals for a future ceasefire. “After such a vision is presented, we believe it would be appropriate to continue our negotiations,” Medinsky said.

He added that the Russian delegation was generally satisfied with the meeting’s outcomes.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed that Russia and Ukraine reached a fundamental agreement to hold another round of talks.

“One road will take us on a process that will lead to peace, while the other will lead to more destruction and death. The sides will decide on their own, with their own will, which path they choose,” Fidan said.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian delegation, said a possible new round of bilateral negotiations would be announced soon. He also noted that a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin was discussed during the Istanbul talks.

Additionally, Umerov confirmed that both parties agreed to conduct a prisoner exchange in a “1,000 for 1,000” format in the near future.

Earlier, the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in three years lasted less than two hours and ended after the Russian delegation demanded the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from all territories Moscow claims as its own, including the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions within their administrative borders.

MEDICAL AID

Lend a Helping Hand to Ukrainian Medical Workers

Donate Towards Ambulances, Hospitals and Medical Equipment to Help Save Lives

Donate