During the negotiations in Istanbul, the Russian side voiced a number of demands that were unacceptable to Ukraine, reported Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgiy Tikhiy. According to him,
This is reported by Kyiv24
“The Russian delegation put forward a number of things that are unacceptable to us. As you know, we have a long experience of negotiations with the Russians, starting from 2014, and the Ukrainian delegation knows how to behave in these situations, how to deal with all the things we may hear from the Russian side. Our main position remains unchanged”
. This indicates the complex situation surrounding the negotiation process between Kyiv and Moscow and the ongoing tension.
Main Demands and Threats from Russia
During the meeting, the Russian delegation demanded the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from several areas within the country in exchange for a ceasefire. This was one of the main points reported by Axios journalist Barak Ravid, citing Ukrainian sources. He stated, “The Russian demands are detached from reality and go far beyond previous agreements”.
Additionally, a high-ranking source, referenced by Oliver Carroll from The Economist, reported that Russia threatened to seize the Kharkiv region if Ukraine did not agree to withdraw troops from four regions. These regions—Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kherson—are part of Russia’s constitutional documents, but none of them are fully controlled by the Russian Federation.
Following the negotiations, the Ukrainian and Russian delegations agreed to a follow-up meeting, which, as reported by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, took place with delegations of various levels. He also confirmed the agreement on a large-scale prisoner exchange. Earlier, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated that a meeting of the leaders of the countries was being prepared for a possible resolution of the conflict.
The first direct dialogue between the Ukrainian and Russian sides in Istanbul in three years lasted about 90 minutes and ended without significant agreements, but opened the way for new negotiation processes.