Peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, resumed on Wednesday in Istanbul, ended quickly without significant progress towards a possible ceasefire or organizing a direct meeting between the leaders of the two countries.
The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, announced that Kyiv proposed a summit between President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by the end of August, as reported by Agerpres.
"The number one priority is organizing a meeting between the presidents," Umerov stated at a press conference, adding that the participation of American President Donald Trump and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would be "particularly valuable."
Umerov emphasized that only a summit at the top level can lead to the end of the war.
However, Moscow has refused to confirm any agreement in this regard. According to Reuters, Vladimir Medinsky, Russia's chief negotiator, stated that a summit would only be possible upon the signing of a final agreement, rejecting the idea of an exploratory meeting between the two leaders.
Prisoner exchange, but deadlock regarding the ceasefire
During the third round of direct negotiations, the two delegations only agreed on a new prisoner exchange.
Medinsky announced that an exchange of around 250 prisoners from each side is already underway at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border. Furthermore, a future exchange of at least 1,200 prisoners of war from each camp has been agreed upon, as reported by CNN.
Zelensky welcomed these partial progressions and emphasized that "bringing all our citizens home is a state priority." According to the Ukrainian leader, over 1,000 Ukrainians have already been repatriated following the agreements in Istanbul.
Regarding a ceasefire, however, the positions of the two parties remain irreconcilable. Ukraine demands a "complete and unconditional" ceasefire, considering it essential for the continuation of negotiations. On the other hand, Russia has only proposed local ceasefires of 24-48 hours for the evacuation of the wounded and recovery of the dead.