Ukraine's MFA confirms Russia's unacceptable demands in Istanbul: What is known
Photo: Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
During the negotiations in Istanbul, the Russian delegation put forward a number of unacceptable demands that do not align with Ukraine’s interests. Ukraine, however, maintained a firm position, according to a statement by Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi during the national telethon live broadcast.
"I know this is very interesting for many reporters, but I can’t comment on the substance, of course, because that would be diplomatically inappropriate. I can say that there were indeed many demands from the Russian side that were unacceptable to the Ukrainian delegation," Tykhyi explained.
According to him, Ukraine stood its ground, maintained its position, and steered the discussion back to the points that matter to Ukraine.
"To what can actually be achieved. And if we managed to agree on at least one issue, the 1,000-for-1,000 exchange, that is already very important, because it will bring joy to at least a thousand Ukrainian families," he noted.
Tykhyi emphasized that this was an achievement of the Ukrainian delegation.
"I believe we should thank those people who just addressed, because this is indeed a significant result for Ukraine," he concluded.
Talks in Istanbul
Today, May 16, negotiations between Ukraine and Russia took place in Istanbul.
The Ukrainian delegation was led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, while the Russian delegation was headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Vladimir Putin.
As a result of the talks, the sides agreed on the largest prisoner exchange since the full-scale war began — a 1,000 for 1,000 format. This step is aimed at building trust between the two countries.
However, not everything went smoothly during the meeting. According to media reports, the Russian delegation threatened to seize two more regions of Ukraine during the negotiations in Istanbul.
Earlier today, the media learned about Russia’s unacceptable demands during the Istanbul talks.
