Russia, Ukraine agree prisoner swap, fail to reach truce in first talks since 2022

ISTANBUL: Russia and Ukraine agreed a large-scale prisoner exchange, said they would trade ideas on a possible ceasefire and discussed a potential meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin in their first direct talks in over three years on Friday.

But coming out of the highly anticipated talks in Istanbul, which lasted just over 90 minutes, there were few signs of more significant progress toward ending the three-year war. Kyiv was seeking an “unconditional ceasefire” to pause a conflict that has destroyed large swathes of Ukraine and displaced millions of people.

Moscow has consistently rebuffed those calls, and the only concrete agreement appeared to be a deal to exchange 1,000 prisoners each. The two sides also said they would “present their vision of a possible future ceasefire,” said Russia’s top negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky.

Russia also took note of Ukraine’s request for a meeting of Presidents Putin and Zelensky, he said.

“Overall, we are satisfied with the results and ready to continue contacts,” Medinsky added.

Ukraine’s top negotiator, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, confirmed the prisoner swap in a separate statement and also said a ceasefire and a possible presidential meeting had been discussed.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who presided over the talks, said the sides had “agreed in principle to meet again” and would present ceasefire ideas “in writing”.

Fidan sat at the head of a table in front of Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian flags at Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace for the talks -- with Russian and Ukrainian delegations facing each other, footage from the room showed.

But progress on more fundamental issues appeared minimal.

During the talks, a Ukrainian source said that Russia was making “unacceptable” territorial demands in a bid to derail negotiations.

Nevertheless, the fact the meeting took place at all was a sign of movement, with both sides having come under steady pressure from Washington to open talks.

Putin declined to travel to Turkey for the meeting, which he had proposed, sending a second-level delegation instead.

Zelensky said Putin was “afraid” of meeting, and criticised Russia for not taking the talks “seriously”.

Speaking at a European summit in Albania, the Ukrainian leader urged a “strong reaction” from the world if the talks failed, including new sanctions.

Ahead of the talks, the two sides spent 24 hours slinging insults at each other, with Zelensky accusing Moscow of sending “empty heads” to the negotiating table.