Russia and Ukraine held their second round of direct peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey, aiming to address the ongoing conflict that began in 2022. The delegations, meeting for just over an hour, agreed to exchange at least 1,000 prisoners of war, focusing on the youngest and most severely wounded, and to return the remains of 12,000 fallen soldiers. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov led the Ukrainian delegation, while Russia’s Vladimir Medinsky confirmed the exchange details. Russia proposed a memorandum requiring Ukraine to withdraw from four annexed regions and accept limits on its military, conditions Ukraine has previously rejected. Ukraine suggested further talks between June 20 and 30, emphasizing the need for a Zelenskyy-Putin meeting to resolve key issues. The talks followed Ukraine’s drone strikes on Russian air bases, indicating continued military activity alongside diplomatic efforts.
34news.online
34news.online
