(Updated: )
Ukrainian and Russian delegations concluded their talks in Istanbul on May 16 after speaking for less than two hours, with no agreement reached on a full, 30-day ceasefire, and Moscow demanding Kyiv withdraw completely from Ukraine's four oblasts that President Vladimir Putin claims to have annexed.
A source in the Ukrainian President's Office briefed on the talks confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that Moscow's delegation insisted that Ukraine retreat from 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.
Despite the demands, the source said the Ukrainian delegation's "impression was that (the Russian) delegation simply didn’t have any real authority."
"They now need to return to Moscow, just to figure out what they can even say in response to what they heard here," they added.
According to the source, during the talks, Ukraine offered an immediate ceasefire, an all-for-all prisoner exchange and to hold a face-to-face meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin.
In one positive development, 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, told reporters after the talks on May 16.
"We know the date, but we're not going to say it yet," he said.
Soon after, Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, confirmed the agreed exchange in comments to Russian state media.
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.
"Ukraine is ready to take the fastest possible steps for real peace, and it is important that the world holds strong positions," Zelensky wrote.
"If the Russians refuse a complete and unconditional stop to the fire and killings, there must be strong sanctions. Pressure on Russia must be maintained until Russia is ready to end the war."
Soon after Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk echoed the condemnation of Russia's unwillingness to stop the fighting.
"The Russians in Istanbul have de facto broken off negotiations and refused to cease fire," Tusk wrote on X. "Time to increase the pressure."
No further details were provided about the content or duration of the call.
"Trump still hopes something can be done," the source in the President’s Office said.
According to the source, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Keith Kellogg see the situation as it is. The same source said that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is, in turn, "overpromising."
Later on May 16, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for new sanctions against Russia, she said during the European Political Community Summit.
The European Commission is preparing a new sanctions package, which would include sanctions on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, additional listings of vessels from Russia's shadow fleet, a lower oil price cap, and sanctions on Russia's financial sector, von der Leyen announced.
Ukraine and Russia have agreed in principle to hold a follow-up meeting, 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.
The road to Istanbul
After Moscow proposed to hold peace talks in Turkey this week, Zelensky agreed and invited Putin for a face-to-face meeting. The Russian leader declined to attend and appointed his aide, Medinsky, to lead the talks.
The Russian delegation included deputy ministers and lower-level aides and excluded top officials like Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Zelensky commented that Moscow has dispatched a "sham delegation," while Western officials presented the move as an indication that Putin is not serious about peace efforts.
Though Zelensky has since then left for Albania, a Ukrainian delegation, including Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Umerov, has arrived in Istanbul to meet the Russian delegates.
The Ukrainian delegation also held meetings with U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier in the day.
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.
Alex Cadier
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