What was agreed in talks with Russia in Istanbul? Ukraine's Defense Minister reveals
Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's Minister of Defense (Getty Images)
Ukraine and Russia held a second round of peace talks today, June 2. The sides discussed, among other things, new prisoner exchanges, according to Ukraine's Minister of Defense and head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov.
According to him, the sides discussed the possibility of a ceasefire.
The Ukrainian and Russian delegations also addressed the issue of prisoner exchanges. Ukraine insisted on the release of all prisoners and the return of civilians. Ukrainian officials also demanded the immediate release of students.
"We agreed on exchanges and will share the details soon. Our focus is on the severely wounded and sick. There is also an emphasis on young people, and on the exchange of fallen soldiers' bodies. Further details will be provided later," the defense minister emphasized.
Another point of discussion was the possibility of a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Notably, during the first round of negotiations, Ukraine and Russia agreed to a 1,000 for 1,000 prisoner swap. That exchange was carried out over a three-day period from May 23 to May 25.
Ukraine-Russia talks
Ukrainian and Russian officials met today, June 2, in Istanbul to discuss possible ways to end the war.
In particular, Russia had promised to present Ukraine with a memorandum outlining its vision for a potential ceasefire.
More details on the second round of negotiations are available in the full report by RBC-Ukraine.
