Russia and Ukraine are set to resume peace negotiations on Wednesday in Istanbul, as announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In his daily address, Zelensky revealed that discussions concerning a potential prisoner exchange and the upcoming meeting had been held with Rustem Umerov, the chief of Ukraine’s Security Council.
The initiative for renewed talks was proposed over the weekend following U.S. President Donald Trump's warning to Russia of "severe" sanctions if a ceasefire is not established within the next 50 days. In response to escalating attacks from Russia, the U.S. Government has pledged additional military support for Ukraine.
As of now, there has been no official response from Moscow regarding the upcoming negotiations. However, a spokesperson from the Turkish government has confirmed that the dialogue will take place in Istanbul, which previously hosted failed discussions in May and June aimed at reaching a ceasefire.
The new round of talks represents another effort to end the nearly three-year-long conflict, which escalated significantly after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. President Trump expressed his disappointment with Russian President Vladimir Putin during an interview, although he emphasized that negotiations were not over.
The agenda for the Istanbul talks may include further prisoner exchanges, as revealed by a senior Ukrainian official. Nevertheless, the Kremlin has indicated skepticism about achieving any significant agreements, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that both parties remain "diametrically opposed," suggesting extensive diplomatic efforts are necessary.
This escalation of the conflict in recent weeks has seen an uptick in Russian drone and missile assaults on Ukrainian urban centers, resulting in record civilian casualties and amplifying fear among the population.
