The peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, which lasted throughout 2025, ended without achieving significant results. This was reported by Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia in an interview with the British publication Times. According to Kyslytsia, one of the main reasons for the suspension of dialogue was the inability to conduct constructive negotiations with representatives of the Russian side, who were following strict orders from their leadership.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Positions of the Parties and the Course of Negotiations
Since the summer of 2025, Kyiv has been trying to persuade international partners to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to organize a personal meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian side insisted on an unconditional ceasefire, stopping strikes on civilian infrastructure, and regaining control over occupied territories.
“In conditions of dictatorship, it is impossible to have fruitful discussions with negotiating groups that represent a dictator. They have a very strict mandate, and they must defend the position they have been ordered to,” Kyslytsia stated, commenting on the course of negotiations in Istanbul.
In response to Kyslytsia’s remarks, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed readiness to resume negotiations in Turkey. Ministry representative Oleksiy Polishchuk emphasized that the Russian delegation is already prepared to return to the negotiation process, and the initiative supposedly remains with the Ukrainian side. According to him, during previous rounds in Istanbul, agreements were reached regarding large-scale exchanges of prisoners of war, repatriation of the deceased, and the return of civilians.
Russia’s Proposals and Demands
The Russian side also proposed creating three working groups within the so-called Istanbul process; however, according to Kyslytsia, these were only formal mechanisms, such as “WhatsApp groups,” which did not involve discussions on key issues. The Ukrainian diplomat believes that these initiatives were aimed at convincing Western partners of the supposed effectiveness of the negotiations and avoiding new sanctions against Russia.
The negotiations between the delegations took place in Turkey in three stages – in May, June, and July of this year. Russia rejected the idea of a ceasefire, demanded recognition of the occupied territories as Russian, and insisted on limiting the number of Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Ukrainian delegation rejected these conditions, insisting on the cessation of aggression and adherence to international law.