And met on Monday for a short second round of direct conversations, agreeing to the exchange of dead and captive soldiers. However, there has been no substantial progress towards the end of the exhaustive war or at least a ceasefire agreement.
Speaking in a press briefing after the meeting, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umero, who led the Kiev negotiating team, said Ukraine insists on a “complete and unconditional ceasefire” of at least 30 days, in the sea, the sea, the sea.
According to him, Ukraine handed over its proposals for a truce in Russia “a few days ago” – but Moscow did not do the same, presenting its own plan only during talks in Constantinople.
The texts of both the Russian and Ukrainian ceasefire proposal have not been officially made public.
The basic monuments of the Russian memorandum
However, Russian state media published what they claim to be the end of the talks. These include unchanged requirements for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the four partially occupied areas of Southeast Ukraine and demobilization of the country’s armed forces.
Russia also demands international recognition of Donetsk, Luhansk, Hersona and Zaporizia, as well as the attached Crimea.
Other terms include the prohibition of Ukrainian integration into any military coalition, limiting the size of the Ukrainian army, recognizing Russian as an official language, and the removal of international sanctions against Russia.
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kisslia said Russia has rejected the unconditional ceasefire.
Ukraine also handed over a list of hundreds of children, who – according to Kiev – have been transported by force to Russia.
Ukrainian negotiators said, underlining the need to prepare for immediate conversations between Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, so far there is no evidence of progress to such a meeting.
Speaking at a separate press conference, Russian chief Vladimir Mentinsky confirmed that all patients and severely injured prisoners of war, as well as those under 25 years old, will be exchanged. No timetable was given when this will happen.
Mentinsky also added that Russia would hand over the corpses of 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers to Kiev next week. Zelenski, for his part, later said on Monday that Ukraine would return the corpses of 6,000 Russian troops, but did not specify when that would happen.
Rejecting the unconditional ceasefire, Russia prefers to speak of “constant peace”, repeating its previous harsh demands, which Ukraine and its allies consider equivalent to the de facto tradition of Kiev.
‘The Russians are stupid’
Zelenski, who attended Monday, said that “as there are no virtually signs from Russia to end the war, it is important to strengthen our defense.”
He also called for increased pressure on Russia through sanctions.
The proposal for a two or three -day truce to collect fallen soldiers from the battlefield, as he said, aims to delay US sanctions.
“I think they are stupid, because, in principle, a ceasefire aims to ensure that there are no losses,” Zelenski said in a conversation with journalists.
“That is why I really want our US partners to take strong measures and send a package of sanctions to the Senate to push the Russians,” he said.
In the first round of direct peace talks, held on May 16, Ukraine and Russia failed to bridge their differences in ending the war, agreeing only to the exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war on each side.
Zelenski and his European allies have repeatedly accused Russia of deliberately delaying any substantial negotiation in order to understand more Ukrainian territory.
US President Donald Trump, who is pushing for a quick resolution, has so far been delayed the imposition of stricter sanctions on Russia.
In a rare reprimand last month, Trump called Putin “completely crazy” after mass attacks with drones and rockets in Ukraine. In response, the Kremlin said Trump shows signs of “emotional overload”.
