Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks Last Less Than 2 Hours, Result in POW Deal Only

ISTANBUL (TRAMESH) — The aboriginal absolute Russia-Ukraine accord talks aback the aboriginal weeks of Moscow’s 2022 aggression concluded afterwards beneath than two hours Friday, and while both abandon agreed on an ample captive swap, they acutely remained far afar on key altitude for catastrophe the fighting.

One such action for Ukraine, backed by its Western allies, is an acting armistice as an aboriginal footfall adjoins a peaceful settlement. The Kremlin has pushed aback adjoin such a truce, which charcoal elusive.

“We haven’t accustomed a Russian ‘yes’ on this basal point,” Ukrainian Adopted Ministry agent Heorhii Tykhii said afterwards the talks. “If your appetite to accept austere negotiations, you accept to accept accoutrements silenced.”

Also read: Ceasefire Is Ukraine’s Top Priority in Russia Talks, Says Diplomatic Source

But Russian appointment arch Vladimir Medinsky arresting himself “satisfied with the outcome,” abacus that Moscow was accessible to abide contacts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he discussed the talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and the leaders of France, Germany, the U.K. and Poland. In a column on X from a European administration affair in Albania, he apprenticed “tough sanctions” adjoin Moscow if it rejects “a abounding and actual armistice and an end to killings.”

In Istanbul, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to barter 1,000 prisoners of war each, according to the active of both delegations, in what would be their better such swap.

Both abandon additionally discussed an armistice and an affair amid their active of state, according to arch Ukrainian delegate, Aegis Abbot Rustem Umerov.

Medinsky, an abettor to President Vladimir Putin, said both abandon agreed to accommodate anniversary added with abundant armistice proposals, with Ukraine requesting the active of accompaniment meeting, which Russia took beneath consideration.

“The burden on the Russian Federation charge continue,” said Serhii Kyslytsia, Ukraine’s aboriginal agent adopted abbot and allotment of Kyiv’s delegation. “We should not absolutely relax at this point.”

New, ‘unacceptable conditions’

During the talks, an arch Ukrainian official said Russia alien new, “unacceptable demands” to abjure Ukrainian armament from huge swaths of territory. The official, who was not accustomed to accomplishing official statements, batten to The Associated Press on action of anonymity. The angle had not been ahead discussed, the official said.

The Ukrainian ancillary common it was focused on accomplishing absolute advance an actual armistice and an alleyway to absolute address “just like the U.S., European partners, and added countries proposed,” the official added.

Foreign Ministry agent Tykhii accustomed the Russian appointment “voiced a cardinal of things that we account unacceptable,” but added: “This is article that Russians usually voice, and we were befitting to our line.”

The two-abandon sat adverse anniversary added at a U-shaped table in the Dolmabahçe Palace but remained far afar in their altitude for catastrophe the war. Trump, who has apprenticed for an end to the conflict, said he would accommodate with Putin “as anon as we can set it up.”

“I anticipate it’s time for us to aloof do it,” Trump told reporters in Abu Dhabi as he captivated up a cruise to the Middle East.

Turkish Adopted Abbot Hakan Fidan opened the talks by advancement participants “to booty advantage of this opportunity,” abacus it was “critically important that the armistice happens as anon as possible.”

In a amusing media post, Fidan alleged the POW bandy as a “confidence-building measure” and said the parties had agreed in assumption to accommodate again.

Zelenskyy seeks European unity

Zelenskyy was in Tirana, Albania, with leaders of 47 European countries to altercate security, aegis and autonomous standards adjoin the accomplishments of the war. He met with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, U.K. Prime Abbot Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Abbot Donald Tusk.

“Pressure on Russia charge be maintained until Russia is accessible to end the war,” Zelenskyy said on X, announcement a photo of the leaders during the call, the additional for the accumulation aback May 10.

Speaking to reporters afterwards the alarm with Trump, Starmer said the Russian position “is acutely unacceptable.”

While he didn’t say what the Europeans’ acknowledgment ability involves, some of them apprenticed for new sanctions, with the European Union acceptable to accept new measures as anon as Tuesday.

Macron said it was “unacceptable that, for an additional time, Russia hasn’t responded to the demands fabricated by the Americans, accurate by Ukraine and the Europeans. No ceasefire, and accordingly no affair at a controlling level. And no response.”

Merz said adept efforts so far “have abominably bootless because of Russia’s abridgement of address to booty the aboriginal accomplishes in the appropriate administration now.”

“But we will not accord up,” he added. All three said Kyiv and its allies in Europe will abide to alike their efforts.

Diplomatic maneuvering

Both countries affianced in adept action this anniversary as they approved to appearance Trump that they are acquisitive to negotiate, although he is bidding annoyance with the apathetic advance and threatened to abuse foot-dragging.

On Thursday, Putin spurned an action by Zelenskyy to accommodate contiguous in Turkey. Zelenskyy accused Moscow of not authoritative an austere accomplishment to end the war by sending a low-level delegation.

Ukraine has accustomed a U.S. and European angle for a full, 30-day ceasefire, but Putin has finer alone it by arty extensive conditions.

Commenting on an accessible Trump-Putin meeting, Kremlin agent Dmitry Peskov appeared to announce that drive for such an acme is building. He told reporters that top-level talks were “certainly needed,” but added that advancing an acme would booty time.

Fighting Rages in Ukraine as Russia Launches New Offensive, Peace Talks Stall

Fighting continues in Ukraine
Russia, meanwhile, is advancing a beginning aggressive offensive, Ukrainian government and Western aggressive analysts say.

Russian Aegis Abbot Andrei Belousov was in Minsk to altercate collective aggressive drills in September and deliveries of new weapons to Belarus. Zelenskyy has warned that the aggressive accretion in Belarus, which borders NATO associates Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, could serve as an awning for approaching attacks.

A Friday bombinate advance on the northeastern burghal of Kupiansk dead a 55-year-old woman and blood-soaked four men, said Oleh Syniehubov, arch of the Kharkiv Regional Aggressive Administration.

Russia’s aggression has dead added than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, the U.N. says, and razed towns and villages. Tens of bags of Ukrainian soldiers accept died, and acceptable a beyond cardinal of Russian troops, admiral and analysts say.

One Ukrainian soldier told TRAMESH he wasn’t hopeful about the talks.

“I don’t anticipate they will accede on annihilation concrete, because summer is the best time for war,” said the soldier, who acclimated the alarm assurance “Corsair” in accordance with Ukrainian aggressive rules. “The adversary is aggravating to consistently amplify the situation.”

But he said abounding of his assembly “believe that by the end of the year there will be peace, admitting an ambiguous one, but peace.”

Before the talks, Ukrainian admiral met with civic aegis admiral from the U.S., France, Germany and the U.K. to alike positions, the arch Ukrainian official told AP. The U.S. aggregation was led by retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s appropriate agent to Ukraine and Russia, while Umerov and presidential appointment arch Andriy Yermak represented Ukraine, the official said.

A three-way affair amid Turkey, the U.S. and Ukraine additionally took place, Turkish Adopted Ministry admiral said. The U.S. ancillary included Secretary of Accompaniment Marco Rubio as able-bodied as Kellogg.

On Thursday, Rubio said he believed a advance was alone accessible is an affair amid Trump and Putin.