Ukraine, Russia resume peace talks in Istanbul

ISTANBUL -- Ukrainian and Russian delegations resumed peace negotiations on Monday in Istanbul, aiming to bring an end to the ongoing conflict, television footage showed.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan delivered the opening remarks at the meeting held at the Ciragan Palace on the European side of the city.

Fidan emphasized that the priority of the talks is to achieve a lasting peace, adding that Türkiye stands ready to take any necessary steps to facilitate the peace process.

"It is possible to lay the groundwork for the path to peace," he said.

According to the minister, the meeting also aims to discuss preparations for a possible summit at the leadership level and to make progress on humanitarian issues.

Following Fidan's speech, which was broadcast live, the delegations began their meeting behind closed doors.

The Ukrainian delegation is led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, while Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky heads the Russian side.

The two countries last held direct talks on May 16 in Istanbul — their first face-to-face negotiations since March 2022.

During that meeting, the two sides agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each, marking the largest prisoner swap since the start of the conflict.