Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Ukraine and Russia have agreed in principle to hold a follow-up meeting during their talks in Istanbul on May 16, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced, according to the country's state-run Anadolu Agency.
"The parties have agreed in principle to come together again," Fidan said.
This statement comes as the Ukrainian and Russian delegations concluded their talks in Istanbul after speaking for less than two hours. These were the first direct peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow since 2022.
Vladimir Medinsky, who led the Russian delegation, confirmed that both sides had exchanged proposals related to a potential ceasefire and agreed to continue the dialogue.
A source in the Ukrainian President's Office confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that Moscow's delegation insisted that Ukraine retreat from all of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson Oblasts, despite Russia not controlling any of them in their entirety.
The Kremlin illegally declared the annexation of the four oblasts following sham referenda in late 2022, incorporating them into Russia’s constitution — a move that holds no weight internationally.
In a positive development arising from the talks, Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement for the exchange of prisoners of war (POWs) on a 1,000-for-1,000 basis, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who was leading Ukraine's delegation, said.
After the talks ended, Zelensky and several top European leaders held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, the Ukrainian leader announced on Telegram.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk joined Zelensky during the call.
Kyiv and its allies have urged Moscow to adopt an unconditional ceasefire starting May 12 as the first step toward peace talks — a proposal Russia has ignored.
While Ukrainian officials said they hope to discuss a possible truce in Istanbul, Russia presented the meeting as the continuation of the 2022 talks and stressed the need to address what it sees as the "root causes" of the war.
Kateryna Denisova
Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.
We’re working hard to show the world the truth of Russia’s brutal war — and we’re keeping it free for everyone, because reliable information should be available to all.
More than 20,000 people chose to stand behind us. We’re deeply grateful and overwhelmed with your support. Thank you for making it possible.
(Updated: )
