A second round of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine concluded without any significant progress, yielding only an agreement to exchange prisoners of war.
Ukrainian negotiators reported that Russia once again declined to agree to an “unconditional ceasefire,” a primary demand from Kyiv, supported by its Western allies. However, both nations did agree to return the remains of approximately 12,000 soldiers.
The Russian delegation proposed a brief truce lasting two to three days in selected areas along the front lines, but did not provide further information.
Monday’s talks, held in Istanbul, Turkey, lasted just over an hour. The only concrete outcome was a commitment to exchange all seriously wounded or ill prisoners of war, along with those under the age of 25.
Expectations had been low leading into the meeting, as the two sides remain deeply divided over the path to ending a conflict that began in February 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukrainian land, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
Following the discussions, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who led Kyiv’s delegation, emphasized Ukraine’s call for a “full and unconditional” 30-day ceasefire covering land, sea, and air operations to immediately halt the bloodshed.
Umerov stated that Ukraine had submitted its ceasefire proposal to Russia several days prior to the talks, but Russia only presented its version during the meeting itself.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Russia’s offer of a temporary truce intended to retrieve fallen soldiers, writing on social media platform X that the suggestion missed the point of a ceasefire: “to prevent more deaths.”
Neither side has officially published the full texts of their respective proposals. However, Russian state media outlined Moscow’s demands, which remain largely unchanged. These include a Ukrainian military withdrawal from occupied territories, demobilization of Ukrainian forces, and international recognition of Russia’s claims over Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea.
Additional Russian conditions include barring Ukraine from joining any military alliances, reducing the size of its armed forces, granting official status to the Russian language, and removing international sanctions imposed on Russia.
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia confirmed that Russia had declined to accept the unconditional ceasefire proposed by Kyiv.
Ukraine also presented a list of hundreds of children it claims were forcibly taken to Russia, requesting their return.
Ukraine’s delegation expects a formal response from Moscow to its proposals by the end of June and expressed hope for eventual direct talks between Presidents Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, although no such meeting appears to be on the horizon.
In a separate briefing, Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky confirmed the agreement to exchange all seriously injured or sick prisoners, as well as those younger than 25. He did not specify a timeline for the exchange.
Medinsky also said Russia would return the bodies of 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers in the coming week. In return, Zelensky stated that Ukraine would also hand over 6,000 Russian bodies, though he gave no specific timeframe.
While Russia resists an unconditional ceasefire, its officials continue to refer to the goal of a “lasting peace,” reiterating longstanding demands that Ukraine and its allies consider tantamount to surrender.
Speaking from a summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, Zelensky underscored the need for stronger military support and harsher sanctions against Moscow, noting the lack of “serious signs” from Russia about ending the war.
During the first round of direct negotiations on May 16, the two countries failed to agree on how to halt the conflict, managing only a mutual exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war.
Zelensky and European leaders have accused Moscow of intentionally stalling the peace process to solidify territorial gains.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has pushed for a rapid resolution to the conflict, has so far held back on imposing stricter sanctions against Russia. According to White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, Trump is open to hosting a potential three-way summit with Zelensky and Putin if needed.
“He wants both sides to engage directly,” Leavitt stated.
In an unusual criticism last month, Trump called Russian President Putin “absolutely crazy” after a wave of drone and missile strikes against Ukraine. The Kremlin responded by accusing Trump of having an “emotional outburst.”
Source: BBC
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