Negotiations between Ukraine and russia in Istanbul: what did the parties agree on?

The second round of negotiations between Ukraine and russia took place in Turkey. The parties managed to make progress on some issues, in particular regarding the exchange of prisoners. Find out what the delegations agreed on

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The second round of negotiations between Ukrainian and russian delegations took place in Istanbul on 2 June. As expected, the meeting did not bring a breakthrough in the agreements on ending the war. However, the parties agreed on some points that will lead to discussions on a ceasefire during the next meetings. We report on the outcome of the talks in Istanbul and what to expect in the near future.

Memoranda of Ukraine and the russian 

After the first round of talks, Ukraine and russia agreed to prepare memoranda setting out the steps to be taken by both sides to end the war.

The Ukrainian delegation handed the memorandum on the ceasefire and the peace process to the russians before the meeting. It consists of five sections: basic principles and the negotiation process; agreement on a ceasefire and preparations for a meeting between the leaders; ceasefire; confidence-building measures; meeting between the leaders.

The document mainly declares what Ukraine has repeatedly stated publicly. For example, the demand for a complete and unconditional ceasefire in the air, on land and at sea for 30 days (with the possibility of extension).

Ukraine insists on security guarantees and ‘will not commit itself to remain neutral’. In particular, Kyiv may seek membership in NATO or the European Union. In addition, no restrictions should be imposed on the Ukrainian army or the deployment of friendly countries' contingents on Ukrainian territory.

During the talks in Istanbul, russia handed Ukraine a memorandum with its conditions for a peaceful settlement. The document contains demands that russia has repeatedly voiced publicly. For example, demands that Kyiv refuse to join military alliances and coalitions. The document also states the need to recognise the occupied and annexed ‘LPR, DPR’ and parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions as Russian territories.

The second section of the russian memorandum offers two options for a ceasefire. The first option proposes that the Armed Forces of Ukraine withdraw their troops from all territories occupied by Moscow to a distance agreed with russia. The second option is more multi-stage. It provides for a ban on the redeployment of Ukrainian troops, the supply of Western weapons and the presence of troops from third countries on Ukrainian territory, as well as the cessation of mobilisation and the lifting of martial law in Ukraine.

In the end, the parties promised to familiarise themselves with the memoranda and respond later.

Will there be a ceasefire?

As Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said after the talks, russia refused to agree to a full ceasefire.

However, the russian delegation later said that they had proposed a two-day ceasefire on the front line so that the military could recover the bodies of the dead.

President Volodymyr Zelensky reacted sharply to this. ‘I think they are idiots. Because a ceasefire is needed so that no one is killed,’ he said.

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Prisoner exchanges

One of the key points in Istanbul was the release of all Ukrainians held by russia.

According to Umerov, it was agreed to focus not on numbers but on specific categories. Two categories are to be exchanged in an ‘all for all’ format

‘We agreed on the exchange of all seriously wounded and sick prisoners. The second category is young soldiers aged 18 to 25,’ he said.

In addition, they agreed on the return of the bodies of 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers who were killed. The head of the russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, in turn, said that 6,000 bodies would be handed over next week ‘unilaterally for Christian reasons so that they can be buried in a humane manner.’

As for the future exchange of prisoners, Medinsky called it the largest ever. He confirmed that young soldiers, as well as the seriously wounded and sick, would be exchanged on a ‘all for all’ basis. He even gave approximate figures.

‘The exchange of prisoners of war will be equal. In total, no less than 1,000 people. Maybe more. Up to 1,200. They are counting now,’ he said, adding that the sides will start medical commissions and the exchanges will happen regularly, without waiting for big political decisions.

The issue of deported children

The negotiations also raised the issue of the return of Ukrainian children whom russia had illegally taken to its territory. Rustem Umerov said that a list of several hundred names had been handed over to the russians.

The russian side, in turn, responded with a willingness to return children who have relatives. Medinsky stressed that the list of 339 names would be handed over to the office of their ombudsman and promised: ‘All families will be reunited, this is a matter of honour.’

Will the meeting between Zelensky and putin take place?

The Ukrainian side has proposed to the russians to hold a meeting of the leaders by the end of this month, between 20 and 30 June. Kyiv is not insisting that this meeting take place face to face, and is open to the participation of other leaders, such as Donald Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The russian side has not yet commented on this point of the negotiations. Therefore, it is currently unclear whether the talks between Zelensky and putin will take place in the near future.

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