The talks between representatives of Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul have ended without any results. According to Ukrainian officials, the meeting lasted barely over an hour and did not lead to any significant progress in achieving a ceasefire or even a peace solution. Ukraine accused the Russian side of making “unacceptable demands” including the demand for the surrender of Ukrainian-controlled territories. This was the first direct meeting of the warring parties in over three years. Originally, it was planned that both Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky would meet in person. However, after Putin announced his intention to stay away from the talks, Zelensky also returned home. Putin had initially called for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine “without preconditions” after which a demand for a 30-day ceasefire was raised from the West. Zelensky immediately announced his willingness to meet personally, but expressed doubts about whether the Kremlin might be looking for excuses. Putin and Zelensky have not met in person since December 2019. The already years-long fighting in eastern Ukraine escalated in 2022 when Russia invaded from three sides. The offensive surprised the Russians and was quickly halted, leading to a war of attrition along the newly-formed front, with an estimated over 100,000 deaths.
Ukraine-Russia Talks End Without Ceasefire or Progress
