Istanbul Peace Talks End Without Progress Amid Ongoing Conflict
The recent peace talks held in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine have concluded without significant breakthroughs, lasting barely an hour amidst ongoing deadly attacks in the region.
During the negotiations, Russia put forth terms that reflected its unwillingness to compromise concerning its war objectives. A memorandum released by Russian state media emphasized that any settlement would require international acknowledgment of Crimea and four other regions of Ukraine claimed by Moscow. Additionally, Russia insisted upon the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces, the exclusion of Ukraine from NATO membership, and the recognition of Russian as the official language of Ukraine.
Russia offered two proposals that Ukrainian officials deemed unacceptable:
- Ukraine must execute a full military withdrawal from the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
- Ukraine must halt military redeployments, cease foreign military aid, and lift martial law, along with conducting presidential and parliamentary elections within 100 days.
In response, Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated that officials would need a week to review Russia's memorandum and formulate a response. Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation, suggested that further negotiations could occur between June 20 and 30 but emphasized that only a meeting between Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin might effectively address ongoing disputes.
The only substantial outcome from the Istanbul talks was an agreement to facilitate prisoner exchanges. Both sides agreed to swap 6,000 bodies of soldiers killed in action and set up a commission to exchange seriously wounded troops. Ukraine presented a list detailing 400 children believed to have been abducted to Russia, yet the Russian delegation only committed to working on the return of 10 children.
Vladimir Medinsky, the lead negotiator for Russia, suggested a temporary ceasefire lasting two to three days, particularly in select areas of the frontline, to enable both sides to retrieve their fallen soldiers. However, Ukrainian officials reported that Russia declined their offer for an unconditional month-long ceasefire, instead proposing terms that require further analysis by Kyiv.
Meanwhile, violence persisted, with Russian shelling resulting in at least five deaths in various frontline regions within Ukraine, including Kramatorsk and Illinivka. These developments follow the conclusion of the talks, raising concerns over the potential for further escalations in conflict.
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