First discussions between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul: Reconciliation in sight?
First discussions between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul: Reconciliation in sight?
Istanbul, Türkei - On May 16, 2025, the talks between a Ukrainian and a Russian delegation in Istanbul were completed, which have been the first direct meeting since the war on the outbreak. According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry there was no information about the exact content of the discussions. A Ukrainian diplomatic source was skeptical and reported on unrealistic demands on the part of Russia. In particular, Russia calls for the deduction of Ukrainian troops from the territory declared of Russian to achieve an armistice.
The importance of the meeting was also underlined by the phone call of US President Donald Trump with the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj and other European state leaders. According to reported Chancellor Friedrich Merz Trump on the progress of the discussions. The European side emphasized the need to maintain sanction pressure on Russia. Merz also announced that Europeans and Americans are well coordinated in Ukraine policy.
Negotiation progress and challenges
Russia was satisfied with the first direct conversations after more than three years. The Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinski said that the Ukrainian side had asked for a direct conversation between Selenskyj and Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin. Despite the positive mood regarding the conversations, there was no approach to a possible ceasefire that was the central point of the negotiations. In the meantime, a massive prisoner exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war was agreed in the next few days, which was confirmed by Medinski and the Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerow.
Another important aspect is that discussions between Russia and Ukraine primarily focus on humanitarian questions, while basic differences about security guarantees and territorial demands remain. According to ZDF , Russian demands insist that Kiev resolves and a capitulation accepts what is rejected by the Ukrainian side as an unacceptable side.
The way forward
The negotiations from 2022 are considered failed, sometimes also because of the lack of trust in Ukraine in the seriousness of Russia. Political negotiations of Vladimir Putin are often linked to conditions that were inconvenient for Ukraine. While the war continues, Selenskyj Trump accuses of taking over Russian propaganda, which also contains the tense relationships. The situation remains critical, because while Russia continues its attacks, Putin pretends to be open to diplomatic negotiations.
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| Ort | Istanbul, Türkei |
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