Ukraine, Russia resume talks in Istanbul
Andriy Yermak, the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, engaged in discussions with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, setting the stage for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine scheduled to take place in Istanbul. Russian negotiators also arrived in Turkey, marking the first direct discussions between the two nations in over seven weeks. However, Russian officials have downplayed expectations for significant breakthroughs during these talks, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy indicated should focus on preparing for a potential summit with President Vladimir Putin.
Previous negotiations in Istanbul, held on May 16 and June 2, resulted in the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of fallen soldiers, but they failed to produce any substantial progress toward a ceasefire or a resolution to the nearly three-and-a-half-year conflict. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a warning of severe new sanctions against Russia and countries purchasing its exports unless a peace deal is reached within a specified timeframe. Despite this ultimatum, sources close to the Kremlin have indicated that Putin remains undeterred, planning to continue military operations in Ukraine until the West agrees to his terms for peace, with potential expansions of territorial demands as Russian forces advance.
The latest round of talks, which concluded in Istanbul, lasted only 40 minutes, even shorter than previous meetings that totaled under three hours. During this brief session, both sides discussed the possibility of further prisoner swaps but remained far apart on ceasefire terms and the prospect of a meeting between their leaders. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed optimism for results-oriented discussions, reiterating Turkey's commitment to ending the conflict as soon as possible. He emphasized that the ultimate goal is to achieve a ceasefire that would pave the way for lasting peace.
