Zelenskyy's office outlines two next steps to resolve Russia's war against Ukraine
Photo: Head of Ukraine's Presidential Office Andriy Yermak (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine has outlined the next steps for resolving the war with Russia. This involves a large prisoner exchange and defining the location for the next meeting with the Russians, Head of Ukraine's Presidential Office Andriy Yermak reports.
Yermak held an online conversation with diplomatic representatives of the leaders of the Northern European and Baltic countries. The Head of the Office informed his colleagues about recent events - the talks in Istanbul, President Volodymyr Zelensky's meetings in Italy and the Vatican, as well as an important conversation between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump and leaders of the EU countries.
"Our position is clear: the first step must be an agreement on a prisoner exchange in the '1000 for 1000' format. The second - determining the place for the next meeting with representatives of the Russian Federation," Yermak emphasized.
According to the Head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, special attention was paid to the necessity of strengthening sanctions pressure on Russia.
Ukraine-Russia negotiations
On May 16, the first direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in three years took place in Istanbul. A day before that, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Türkiye, where he was awaiting a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. However, Putin ignored the meeting with Zelensky.
The Ukrainian team in Istanbul was led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Putin sent low-level officials to Türkiye, which caused criticism. The Russian delegation was headed by the Russian President's Aide Vladimir Medinsky.
After the meeting, Umerov stated that Ukraine and Russia had agreed on a prisoner exchange in the 1,000 for 1,000 format. Work on the exchange is currently underway.
As reported by Western media, Russia put forward unacceptable conditions to Ukraine during the talks. RBC-Ukraine sources said that Russia demanded Ukraine adopt a neutral status, de facto renounce five regions (including territories not controlled by Russia), withdraw Ukrainian troops from those territories, reject reparations, and guarantee the protection of Russian-speaking rights.
Meanwhile, the new Pope Leo XIV is ready to propose the Vatican as the location for the next round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
