The first direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia aimed at ending their war in more than three years began on Friday in Istanbul, although expectations remain low for a breakthrough in Europe’s deadliest conflict since the Second World War.
Kyiv is demanding an “unconditional ceasefire” to the fighting, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives, devastated vast regions of Ukraine, and forced millions from their homes.
Moscow, meanwhile, says it wants to address the “root causes” of the conflict and revive the failed 2022 peace talks, during which it issued sweeping territorial and political demands.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, opened the session between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations at around 1:35 p.m. local time (1035 GMT) at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace.
Footage from the room showed Fidan seated at the head of the table, flanked by Turkish, Russian, and Ukrainian flags, as the two delegations sat opposite one another.
Among the Russian delegation were Deputy Defence Minister Aleksandr Fomin, Deputy Foreign Minister Mihail Galuzin, head of the peace talks Vladimir Medinsky, and military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov. The Turkish side was represented by Fidan and intelligence director İbrahim Kalın. Ukraine’s delegation was also present at the palace, which was surrounded by hundreds of journalists.
Low Hopes and Accusations
Despite the symbolic significance of the meeting, tensions remained high in the lead-up. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of not being “serious” about peace, while the two sides traded barbs in the 24 hours preceding the talks.
Nonetheless, the fact that the meeting took place at all signals some movement, with both nations reportedly under strong pressure from Washington to resume dialogue.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who proposed the talks, opted not to attend, sending a lower-level delegation instead — a move sharply criticised by Zelensky, who said the Russian team lacked the authority to negotiate seriously.
Both Moscow and Washington have mentioned the potential necessity of a future meeting between Putin and US President Donald Trump to resolve the conflict.
“Contacts between Presidents Putin and Trump are extremely important in the context of the Ukrainian settlement,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday. “A meeting is undoubtedly necessary,” he added.
Trump stated on Thursday that no resolution would come until he and Putin held direct talks.
Kyiv Demands Ceasefire
“Ukraine is ready for peace and a long-term and unconditional ceasefire,” said Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, on Friday.
“The Ukrainian delegation is in Istanbul today to achieve an unconditional ceasefire — that is our priority,” he added.
Ahead of the Istanbul meeting, Ukrainian officials met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg, and national security advisors from the UK, France, and Germany.
According to US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, Rubio stressed the importance of finding a peaceful resolution and reiterated Washington’s position that “the killing must stop”.
A Ukrainian diplomatic source told AFP that their delegation also wished to raise the possibility of a Zelensky-Putin summit. Another Ukrainian source accused Moscow of obstructing American involvement in the peace talks — the first direct dialogue between the two sides since early 2022.
Western leaders have strongly criticised Putin’s absence from the talks. Vladimir Medinsky, a former culture minister not considered a senior Kremlin figure, led the Russian team. Rubio acknowledged the delegation’s low profile, noting it was “not at the levels we had hoped”.
No Sign of Compromise
Medinsky led the failed negotiations in 2022 shortly after Russian forces were repelled from Kyiv. On Thursday, he described the current meeting as a “continuation” of those talks, suggesting Moscow’s demands remain largely unchanged.
He defended the authority of his delegation, saying they had received a mandate from Putin “to find possible solutions and points of contact”.
However, Russia continues to insist that it will not discuss relinquishing any of the Ukrainian territory it currently occupies.
Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, has familial roots in Crimea — the peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.
Attacks Continue
The last time Kyiv and Moscow held direct talks was in March 2022, just weeks into Russia’s full-scale invasion. Those negotiations collapsed, and the war has since escalated, with Russia currently occupying about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
In the hours preceding the talks, Russia continued its assaults, with Ukrainian authorities reporting at least two deaths.
European leaders have condemned Putin’s decision to skip the Istanbul summit. EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas stated that Russia was “clearly” not pursuing peace, while NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Putin had made a “big mistake” by sending a low-level delegation.
