Russia just buying time: Ukraine defense chief briefs Zelenskyy after Istanbul talks
Photo: Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov (GettyImages)
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov briefed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the results of the second round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul, according to the press service of the Ministry of Defense.
According to Umerov, he already shared the initial details of the meeting with Zelenskyy and will deliver the Russian proposals to the President after returning to Kyiv. He noted that Russia presented its proposals during the talks. In response, Ukraine reiterated its positions.
"One of the key ones is an unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days. This has been our principle and the position of our partners for many months. Russia rejects even the very idea of stopping the killings," the minister said.
He believes this is why the world must put pressure on Russia.
"Our documents were submitted in advance. Meanwhile, the so-called memorandum from the Russian side appeared only today, during the meeting. This created conditions that prevented the talks from producing the results needed to end the war," Umerov said.
In his view, the situation currently looks as though Russia is once again stalling, trying to create the illusion of diplomacy for the United States without taking any real action.
What was agreed upon
Umerov stated that so far, the only progress achieved is a new agreement on a prisoner exchange.
The agreements include:
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an exchange of all severely wounded and seriously ill prisoners - all for all;
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an exchange of all soldiers aged 18–25 - all for all;
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the return of fallen soldiers' bodies - 6,000 for 6,000.
"We also handed over a fully verified list of abducted Ukrainian children. Returning at least some of them would be a humanitarian act if Russia truly wants to move toward peace," he said.
Ukraine also proposed holding a meeting at the leadership level by the end of June.
"Because decisions can only be made by those who actually make decisions. If this is also an attempt to stall for time, then there can only be one response: tougher international sanctions. Ukraine remains steadfast in its position of strength, integrity, and common sense," Umerov emphasized.
Talks in Istanbul
As a reminder, Ukraine and Russia held the second round of negotiations in Istanbul today, June 2.
More details on the talks are available in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
