On Friday (May 16), Russia and Ukraine held peace talks in Istanbul and agreed to a major prisoner exchange.
Moscow and Kiev agreed to swap the prisoners of war under a “1,000 for 1,000” formula, present their concept of the potential future ceasefire, outlining it in detail, as well as continue the negotiation process.
Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky who led the Russian delegation at the Istanbul talks said that the Russian side was satisfied with the negotiations’ outcome.
Friday’s talks followed a morning meeting between Turkish, U.S., and Ukrainian officials. The Russia-Ukraine session began around 1:30 p.m. local time, opened by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who urged delegates to agree to a ceasefire as soon as possible.
A Ukrainian source told reporters that Moscow’s demands during the talks were “detached from reality” and exceeded anything previously discussed.
Among them were ultimatums for Ukraine to withdraw from parts of its own territory in exchange for a ceasefire, as well as other “non-starters and non-constructive conditions,” the source said.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday dismissed the Russian negotiation team as “decorative,” arguing they have no decision-making power.
Medinsky responded with a brief statement to journalists, saying he and his delegates “have the power to make decisions” and that Moscow sees Friday’s meeting as a continuation of the 2022 negotiations.