Istanbul talks

New prisoner swaps, Medinsky’s lies, and a proposal for a leaders’ summit: Key takeaways from Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul

Ukraine and aggressor state Russia held a third round of negotiations in Istanbul on July 23, with Türkiye acting as mediator. Russia again refused to agree to an unconditional ceasefire. Ukraine proposed a leaders’ summit before the end of August. The two sides also reached a deal to regularly exchange severely wounded and seriously ill prisoners of war.

24 July 2025, 10:45 AM

Ukraine, Russia to hold new round of talks in Istanbul, but Kremlin undermines effort — ISW

Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to hold a third round of bilateral negotiations in Istanbul on July 23, but Kremlin officials are already undermining the talks, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote in their July 22 report.

23 July 2025, 10:27 AM

Zelenskyy sends Umerov to Istanbul talks with Russia

The Ukrainian delegation at the July 23 Istanbul talks with Russia will be headed by the National Security and Defense Council’s (NSDC) Secretary Rustem Umerov, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on his Telegram channel on July 22.

22 July 2025, 01:25 PM

Zelenskyy: Kyiv-Moscow talks set in Turkey

A meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations will take place in Turkey on July 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced during an evening address to the nation on July 21.

22 July 2025, 09:23 AM

Kremlin says Russia ‘waiting’ for Ukraine to propose date for third round of talks

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that Russia is “waiting” for Ukraine to propose a date for a third round of negotiations, according to Russian state media reports published on July 8.

8 July 2025, 04:49 PM

Russia plotted to assassinate Yermak’s brother, SBU says

Ukraine’s SBU security service thwarted an assassination plot by Russian special services against Denys Yermak, the brother of the head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk said on June 23.

24 June 2025, 02:09 AM

Another 1,200 bodies returned to Ukraine as part of war repatriation process

Ukraine received the remains of 1,200 individuals on June 15—many believed to be fallen service members—according to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

15 June 2025, 03:45 PM

Kremlin’s top negotiator threatens Ukraine with more territorial losses if Putin’s ‘compromises’ are rejected

Vladimir Medinsky, aide to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and head of the Russian delegation in negotiations, warned that Ukraine could lose even more territory if it refuses to accept Moscow’s so-called “compromises,” The Wall Street Journal reported on June 10.

11 June 2025, 04:51 PM

US welcomes Ukraine-Russia prisoner exchange

The United States has welcomed the recent prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, calling it a sign of progress in negotiations, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a press briefing on June 10.

11 June 2025, 09:09 AM

Moscow yet to respond to Ukraine’s Istanbul proposals — FM Sybiha

The Kremlin still has not replied to Kyiv’s diplomatic proposals submitted directly before the June 2 talks in Istanbul, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on June 9.

10 June 2025, 12:52 AM

Rubio urges Ukraine and Russia to continue direct peace talks

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone on June 7 with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot to discuss efforts aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to a statement from the U.S. State Department.

8 June 2025, 03:44 PM

Russian negotiator mocked Ukraine's calls to return stolen children

During the second round of talks in Istanbul on June 2, Russian lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsky cynically claimed that Russia was holding only “a few dozen, maybe a hundred” Ukrainian children, according to Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia.

5 June 2025, 02:39 PM

Türkiye sees progress in latest Russia-Ukraine peace efforts

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara expects another round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia following signs of progress during the latest meeting in Istanbul on June 2, Azerbaijani news outlet Report reported on June 3.

4 June 2025, 11:34 AM

Ukrainian delegation meets with Kellogg in Washington

A delegation of senior Ukrainian officials arrived in Washington and met with U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg, head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, reported on June 3.

3 June 2025, 09:38 PM

Zelenskyy willing to meet with Erdogan, Trump, and Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prepared to participate in a meeting with the leaders of Turkey, the United States, and Russia, as suggested by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Zelenskyy said on June 2.

2 June 2025, 11:48 PM

Russia effectively admits to abducting children, Zelenskyy says

During June 2 talks in Istanbul, the Ukrainian delegation delivered a list of nearly 400 children abducted from Ukraine to Russian negotiators, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a briefing.

2 June 2025, 10:19 PM

Kyiv proposes Zelenskyy–Putin meeting in late June

At the most recent round of Istanbul talks, the Ukrainian delegation proposed to arrange a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin by the end of the month, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on June 2.

2 June 2025, 09:23 PM

Russia expands its maximalist demands at Istanbul talks

Russian state propaganda outlet TASS published the full text of the memorandum in which the Kremlin gave Ukraine an updated list of preconditions for a ceasefire. The document was produced at the June 2 meeting in Istanbul.

2 June 2025, 08:37 PM

Kyslytsia and Bevz coordinate with Germany, Italy, and the UK ahead of Istanbul talks

First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhii Kyslytsia and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz met with representatives from Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom in Istanbul on June 2 to coordinate positions ahead of Ukraine-Russia talks, spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi announced on X.

2 June 2025, 02:24 PM

Russia stalls memo as U.S. urges Ukraine to enter new negotiations

The United States may pressure Ukraine to join a new round of peace talks with Russia on June 2, even without first receiving a memorandum outlining Moscow’s terms for ending the war, The Washington Post reported on May 30.

31 May 2025, 10:07 PM

Istanbul talks

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