Ukraine Proposes August Presidential Talks After Third Round of Istanbul Negotiations

The third round of Russia–Ukraine negotiations was held behind closed doors at Istanbul’s Ciragan Palace and lasted about 40 minutes. While little progress was made toward a political resolution, the sides agreed to continue prisoner and body exchanges, Orda.kz reports.

The Ukrainian delegation was led by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov. Russia was represented by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.

Key Outcomes:

• Both sides are completing a 250-person prisoner exchange and preparing another for 1,200
  
• Russia returned over 7,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers and received an undisclosed number in return
  
• Proposals were made for returning displaced civilians
  
• Russia suggested brief 24–48 hour humanitarian pauses on the front line
  
• Moscow also called for forming three online working groups (military, humanitarian, political), Ukraine agreed to consider the idea

Ukraine pushed for a full ceasefire and proposed a presidential summit before the end of August.

We propose that the Russian side hold a meeting of the leaders of the Russian Federation and Ukraine before the end of August, The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov said.

Medinsky said a high-level meeting would only be possible after a broader settlement framework is reached. He added that “positions remain far apart” but that both sides agreed to “continue contacts.”

The first two rounds were held in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2. So far, only humanitarian measures have materialized from the talks.

Original Author: Oksana Matvienko