Ukraine warfare talks yield POW swap, however no truce

Deputy Chief of Workers of the Air Power Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yevhen Shynkariov, from the Ukrainian delegation, leaves after a gathering with the Russian delegates in Istanbul on Might 16, 2025. AFP

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) — Russia and Ukraine agreed on a large-scale prisoner alternate, mentioned they might commerce concepts on a potential ceasefire and mentioned a possible assembly between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin of their first direct talks in over three years on Friday.

However popping out of the extremely anticipated talks in Istanbul, which lasted simply over 90 minutes, there have been few indicators of extra vital progress towards ending the three-year warfare.

Kyiv was in search of an “unconditional ceasefire” to pause a battle that has destroyed giant swathes of Ukraine and displaced thousands and thousands of individuals.

Moscow has persistently rebuffed these calls and the one concrete settlement gave the impression to be a deal to alternate 1,000 prisoners every.

The 2 sides mentioned they might “current their imaginative and prescient of a potential future ceasefire”, in accordance with Russia’s high negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky.

They didn’t agree any suspension of the preventing.

“General, we’re happy with the outcomes and able to proceed contacts,” Medinsky mentioned.

Ukraine’s high negotiator, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, mentioned the “subsequent step” can be a gathering between the 2 presidents. Russia mentioned it took be aware of the request.

“We perceive that if we need to make progress, we have to have this assembly of leaders,” Ukrainian international ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy mentioned later, praising the prisoner swap as a “nice outcome”.

Zelensky says Putin ‘afraid’

Turkish International Minister Hakan Fidan, who presided over the assembly, mentioned the edges had “agreed in precept to satisfy once more” and would current ceasefire concepts “in writing”.

Fidan sat on the head of a desk in entrance of Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian flags at Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace for the talks — with Russian and Ukrainian delegations going through one another, footage from the room confirmed.

However progress on extra basic points appeared minimal.

Tykhy mentioned Russia had raised quite a few “unacceptable calls for”, with a supply telling AFP that Russia had demanded Kyiv surrender extra territory — a technique it mentioned was designed to derail the negotiations.

Nonetheless, the very fact the assembly happened in any respect was an indication of motion, with each side having come underneath regular stress from Washington to open talks.

Putin declined to journey to Turkey for the assembly, sending a second-tier group as an alternative.

Zelensky mentioned Putin was “afraid” of assembly and accused Russia of not taking the talks “critically”.

At a European summit in Albania, the Ukrainian chief urged a “robust response” from the world if the talks failed, together with new sanctions.

Each Moscow and Washington have additionally talked up the necessity for a gathering between Putin and US President Donald Trump on the battle.

The leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, Britain and Poland held a cellphone name with Trump on Friday, Zelensky’s spokesperson mentioned, with out elaborating.

French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned European nations had been coordinating with the US on further sanctions in opposition to Russia ought to Moscow proceed to refuse an “unconditional ceasefire”.

Trump has mentioned “nothing’s going to occur” on the battle till he meets Putin face-to-face though Macron steered “phone contacts” might happen within the first occasion.

‘Unacceptable calls for’

Forward of the talks, Ukrainian officers in Istanbul held conferences with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s particular envoy Keith Kellogg and the nationwide safety advisors of Britain, France and Germany.

Rubio urged a “peaceable” finish to the warfare and mentioned “the killing must cease”, in accordance with State Division spokeswoman Tammy Bruce.

Through the talks, a Ukrainian supply informed AFP that Russia was advancing hardline territorial calls for.

Moscow claims annexation of 5 Ukrainian areas — 4 since its 2022 invasion, and Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

“Russian representatives are placing ahead unacceptable calls for… reminiscent of for Ukraine to withdraw forces from giant elements of Ukrainian territory it controls to ensure that a ceasefire to start,” the supply mentioned.

They accused Moscow of in search of to “throw non-starters” so the talks finish “with none outcomes”.

One other supply accustomed to the talks mentioned Russia had threatened to seize Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv areas.

Each areas border Russia and had been invaded by Moscow’s military at the beginning of the battle, although Russia has not beforehand made formal territorial claims over them.

Russia has repeatedly mentioned it won’t focus on giving up any territory that its forces occupy.

Putin final yr referred to as for Kyiv to withdraw from elements of the Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia areas that it nonetheless controls.