Russia, Ukraine resume peace talks in Istanbul after three years

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Monday, June 2nd, 2025

Download this post as PDF

rki.news
Sources Anadolu Agency
ISTANBUL – Russia and Ukraine have resumed peace negotiations in Istanbul, marking a significant diplomatic effort facilitated by Türkiye after a three-year hiatus.
The trilateral talks, hosted at the historic Ciragan Palace, are being chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. High-level officials from Russia, Ukraine, and Türkiye are participating, including Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kalin.
The Russian delegation comprises key figures such as President Vladimir Putin’s advisor Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin, and intelligence head Igor Kostyukov. Representing Ukraine are Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya, Security Service deputy chief Oleksandr Poklad, and Oleh Luhovskyi of the Foreign Intelligence Service.
Medinsky confirmed that Ukraine had earlier submitted a version of a peace memorandum, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia has yet to share a counter-document.
This renewed effort follows Türkiye’s initial mediation in 2022, when both sides met in Antalya and Istanbul after the conflict erupted in February of that year. Now, in May 2025, Türkiye has again succeeded in bringing the two adversaries to the negotiating table.
The first session of this new round took place on May 16 at Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Office. The delegations reached a key agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each and pledged to present detailed proposals for a ceasefire in the coming rounds. Both countries confirmed the completion of the prisoner swap on May 25.
The continuation of these talks signals a cautious but meaningful step toward de-escalation and a potential roadmap to ending the ongoing conflict.