Istanbul: The first direct peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in over three years concluded in under two hours on Friday, offering no visible signs of progress toward narrowing the deep divisions between the two nations. A Ukrainian source described Moscow’s demands as “non-starters”.
The meeting, held at a historic palace in Turkey, marked the first face-to-face engagement since March 2022, shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, any hope for meaningful dialogue was quickly dashed.
According to the Ukrainian source speaking to Reuters, the Russian delegation presented proposals that were “detached from reality and go far beyond anything that was previously discussed.” These included demands for Ukraine to withdraw from parts of its own sovereign territory in exchange for a ceasefire, among “other non-starters and non-constructive conditions.” The source spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Russian delegation did not immediately issue a statement or respond to the Ukrainian characterization of the meeting.
Expectations had already been low ahead of the talks. U.S. President Donald Trump, wrapping up a tour of the Middle East the day before, noted that progress would only come through direct talks between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reaffirmed that Kyiv’s top objective was “a full, unconditional and honest ceasefire… to stop the killing and create a solid basis for diplomacy.” He emphasized that if Russia refused to engage in good-faith negotiations, it should face stronger sanctions targeting its energy sector and banking system.
Russia has maintained that it seeks a diplomatic end to the conflict and is open to discussing a ceasefire. However, it raised concerns that Ukraine might exploit any pause in fighting to regroup its forces, mobilize reinforcements, and acquire additional Western weapons.
Ukrainian officials and their Western allies continue to accuse Putin of using diplomacy as a stalling tactic, arguing that Moscow is not genuinely interested in ending the war.
A Fork in the Road
Both nations are reportedly under mounting pressure from President Trump to bring an end to the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two. However, there was no announcement on whether further negotiations would follow or when they might occur.
During the meeting in Turkey, the two delegations sat across from each other—Russian representatives in suits and many of the Ukrainian delegates dressed in camouflage military uniforms.
“There are two paths ahead of us: one road will take us on a process that will lead to peace, while the other will lead to more destruction and death. The sides will decide on their own, with their own will, which path they choose,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at the outset of the discussions.
Despite the widespread use and understanding of the Russian language in Ukraine, the Ukrainian delegation reportedly spoke in their native language throughout the meeting.
Putin’s Absence Noted
While the direct talks were initially proposed by Putin, he declined President Zelenskiy’s challenge to attend the discussions in person. Instead, he dispatched a team of mid-level officials, prompting Ukraine to do the same.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned ahead of the talks that no substantial breakthrough was expected due to the level of the delegations involved.
“I hope I’m 100% wrong. I hope tomorrow the news says they’ve agreed to a ceasefire; they’ve agreed to enter serious negotiations. But I’m just giving you my assessment, honestly,” Rubio remarked.
As the talks were about to begin in Istanbul, Russia claimed to have captured another village in its methodical campaign in eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, air alerts and explosions were reported in the city of Dnipro.
Moscow has described the current meeting as a continuation of the negotiations held in Istanbul during the early weeks of the war in 2022. However, the Ukrainian government has strongly pushed back against framing these talks in the same context.
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During the earlier discussions, Ukraine was still grappling with the initial shock of invasion and faced demands that included drastic reductions in its military—a proposal viewed as unacceptable by Kyiv today.
Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to President Zelenskiy, said that Russia’s attempts to link the latest talks with the failed 2022 negotiations would not succeed.
Despite Russian forces now occupying nearly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, Putin remains steadfast in his demands: that Ukraine cede land, abandon its NATO membership ambitions, and declare itself a neutral state.
Ukraine has firmly rejected these conditions as equivalent to surrender. Kyiv insists on obtaining firm security guarantees from key global powers, especially the United States, before any resolution can be considered.
