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Kyiv and Moscow failed to agree to a ceasefire at their first direct talks in more than three years, with Russia presenting conditions that a Ukrainian source described as “non-starters”.
Under pressure from US President Donald Trump to end the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War Two, delegates from the warring countries met for the first time since March 2022, the month after Russia invaded its neighbour.
The talks in an Istanbul palace lasted well under two hours. Russia expressed satisfaction with the meeting and said it was ready to continue contacts. Both countries said they had agreed to trade 1,000 prisoners of war each in what would be the biggest such exchange yet.
But Kyiv, which wants the West to impose tighter sanctions unless Moscow accepts a proposal from Trump for a 30-day ceasefire, immediately began rallying its allies for tougher action.
As soon as the talks ended, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with Trump and the leaders of France, Germany and Poland, his spokesperson said.
Zelenskyy said robust sanctions should follow if Russia rejected a ceasefire.
Russia’s position ‘clearly unacceptable’
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the Russian position was “clearly unacceptable” and that European leaders, Ukraine and the US were “closely aligning” their responses.
Russia’s lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, told reporters his team had “taken note” of the Ukrainians’ request for direct talks between Zelenskyy and President Vladimir Putin.
Putin, after proposing the direct talks,.
“We have agreed that each side will present its vision of a possible future ceasefire and spell it out in detail. After such a vision has been presented, we believe it would be appropriate, as also agreed, to continue our negotiations,” Medinsky said.
Crediting efforts by Trump and other US officials, Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s investment envoy, said on X the talks produced “good results…1. Largest POW exchange, 2. Ceasefire options that may work 3. Understanding of positions and continued dialogue.”
Zelenskyy said Kyiv’s top priority was “a full, unconditional and honest ceasefire… to stop the killing and create a solid basis for diplomacy”.
With Russian forces in control of about a fifth of Ukraine, Putin has insisted Kyiv cede territory, abandon NATO membership ambitions and become a neutral country.
Ukraine rejects these terms as tantamount to capitulation and is seeking guarantees of its future security from world powers, especially the United States.
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