Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine concluded in Istanbul earlier today, marking the third round of talks aimed at de-escalating the ongoing conflict. According to reports from the Russian news agency Tass, a key agreement reached involved the exchange of both military and civilian prisoners.
The discussions, held at the Çırağan Palace, commenced with a delay of over ninety minutes and subsequently lasted approximately forty minutes. Prior to the formal negotiations, the heads of the delegations – Vladimir Medinsky and Rustem Umerov – engaged in a direct, personal meeting. A statement indicated that no further negotiation rounds are scheduled until existing agreements are fully implemented.
Prior to the Istanbul meeting, the Ukrainian delegation held discussions in Ankara with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, focusing on potential defense collaborations. The Russian delegation in Istanbul maintained its previous composition of four principal members and four expert advisors. In contrast, the Ukrainian delegation’s size was expanded to fourteen members. The talks were reportedly conducted in Russian.