Russia and Ukraine Fail Ceasefire Deal in Istanbul Talks Despite Prisoner Exchange Deal
Synopsis
On Monday, Russia and Ukraine finished their second round of direct peace talks in Istanbul. However, the two nations are still very far apart on how to stop the terrible war that has been…
On Monday, Russia and Ukraine finished their second round of direct peace talks in Istanbul. However, the two nations are still very far apart on how to stop the terrible war that has been going on for more than three years.
The talks, which lasted just over an hour, didn't lead to the breakthrough that many people wanted. Ukrainian officials said that Russia has again turned down their request for an "unconditional ceasefire," which Ukraine and its Western allies consider necessary for any real peace process.
Prisoner Exchange Deal Finalised
Even though the situation was at a standstill, the two parties were able to agree on one humanitarian issue. They promised to trade all sick and badly hurt prisoners of war and those under 25 years old.
The countries also promised to send the bodies of dead soldiers back to their families. So, next week, Russia will bring back 6,000 dead Ukrainian soldiers, and Ukraine will return 6,000 dead Russian soldiers. However, Ukraine did not say when this would happen.
Different Ideas for How to End the War
The talks made it clear how far apart the two sides were. Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's Defence Minister and chairman of his country's delegation, said they need a full ceasefire for at least 30 days on land, sea, and air to "stop the killings now."
But Russia has only guaranteed a temporary respite of two or three days in select areas along the long front line. Instead of a short truce, Russian officials want to discuss "lasting peace."
Russia's Firm Conditions Have Not Changed
According to Russian official media, Moscow is sticking to its earlier demands, which Ukraine says are unacceptable. They need Ukraine to give up four areas in the southeast that Russia still controls, cut back on the size of Ukraine's military, and recognise Russia's claim to Crimea, which it took over in 2014.
Russia also wants Ukraine to stay out of military groups like NATO, make Russian an official language, and have international sanctions eased.
What's next?
Ukrainian officials said they expect Russia to respond to their offers by the end of June. They're also pushing for direct discussions between the presidents of Ukraine and Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, but it doesn't look like that meeting will happen anytime soon.
President Zelensky said at a forum in Lithuania that Ukraine needs to keep strengthening its defences because Russia doesn't seem to be interested in stopping the war.
In May, the first round of these direct talks took place. The countries merely agreed to give each other 1,000 inmates. With Russia controlling almost 20% of Ukrainian land, it is still exceedingly hard to find common ground.
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