Second Round of Russia-Ukraine Talks Ends in Less Than One Hour, but 'Not Negatively'

The meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul has concluded.
It lasted just over an hour and was held behind closed doors.

The talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul ended "not negatively,” with delegations heading to lunch afterwards, a representative of the Turkish Foreign Ministry told RIA Novosti.

There will be no continuation of negotiations today, and the delegations will depart, a TASS source said.

Russia and Ukraine discussed prisoner exchanges in detail; official statements on the outcomes will follow, another TASS source confirmed.

According to Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia and Ukraine exchanged documents on settlement and are preparing a new release of prisoners.

Third Round of Talks to Be Announced

The third round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will take place, TASS reports citing sources.

"The third round will take place," the source said without clarifying any dates.

Ukraine handed Russia a list of children to be returned

During the negotiations, the Ukrainian side submitted a list of Ukrainian children to be returned, the head of President Zelensky's office, Andriy Yermak said.

"We are talking about hundreds of children illegally deported, forcibly transferred, or held by Russia in temporarily occupied territories,” Yermak said.

The negotiations were held at Istanbul's Çırağa Palace, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in attendance. Before the meeting, Fidan proposed the idea of a potential summit of Russian and Ukrainian leaders and wished the delegations success in finding "a good solution.”

The Russian delegation was led by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Vladimir Putin. Other members included:

• Mikhail Galuzin — Deputy Foreign Minister
• Igor Kostyukov — Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces
• Alexander Fomin — Deputy Defense Minister

Ukraine's delegation, approved by President Volodymyr Zelensky, was headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, with First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia and others also participating.

Before the official talks, both delegations held separate side meetings. Russian media reported that Vladimir Medinsky held additional discussions, while the Ukrainian team met with officials from Italy, the UK, and France.

First direct talks in three years held on May 16

On May 16, Moscow and Kyiv held their first direct negotiations in three years, initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks, which lasted around two hours, resulted in several agreements: a prisoner exchange based on the "1000-for-1000” formula, plans to present ceasefire proposals, and a preliminary agreement on holding a follow-up meeting.

From May 23 to 25, Russia and Ukraine carried out a large-scale prisoner exchange:

• On the first day, each side exchanged 270 military personnel and 120 civilians.
• On the second day, they exchanged 307 soldiers each.
• On the third day, 303 soldiers were exchanged on both sides.

This marked the largest exchange since the beginning of hostilities in 2022.

Ukraine submitted peace memorandum to Washington

On May 27, Kyiv informed Washington that it had submitted peace proposals in the form of a memorandum. According to the Ukrainian Presidential Administration, the document calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities to "create the opportunity to return to the negotiating table” and to define further steps toward resolution.

A key condition for Ukraine remains the refusal to legally recognize Russia's claim over Crimea, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, and the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

Russia finalizing its own memorandum

On May 28, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia's version of the memorandum was nearing completion and would be ready soon.
The Kremlin declined to disclose the contents of the document.
According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, the memorandum will outline principles for resolution and a timeline for a possible peace agreement.