Istanbul: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan praised the "constructive atmosphere" of the second Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, noting that the parties built on previously agreed points. He announced that the parties agreed on an "expanded" humanitarian exchange, shared memorandums reflecting their perspectives on the ceasefire and settlement, and decided to commence technical-level work on these texts in the coming days. Preparations for a potential meeting at the leaders' level are also underway, he added.
According to Anadolu Agency, the negotiations lasted for over an hour. Russia's delegation was led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, while Ukraine's delegation was headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. A significant agreement was reached to swap all seriously wounded and sick prisoners, as well as prisoners of war under age 25.
Previously, Istanbul hosted the initial round of talks on May 16, which resulted in the largest prisoner swap between the two countries since the conflict began in February 2022. Fidan emphasized the result-oriented approach by both sides, guided by their leaders, to end the losses caused by the war. He expressed gratitude towards both countries for their trust in Trkiye during this historic process.