Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke on Friday with his US and French counterparts, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron, as well as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and UK and Polish premiers Keir Starmer and Donald Tusk, about the Istanbul peace talks.
In a statement on X, Zelenskyy said they discussed the format and expectations of the Istanbul peace talks, which aim to achieve a ceasefire and establish conditions for a long-term settlement.
“Ukraine is ready to take the fastest possible steps for real peace,” he said, adding that global unity remains essential.
Zelenskyy said if Russia refuses a complete and unconditional ceasefire, further international sanctions should follow. “Pressure on Russia must be maintained until it is ready to end the war,” he said.
The joint call came just hours before delegations from Ukraine and Russia met in Istanbul, in talks facilitated by Türkiye and supported by the US and European partners.
‘Important day for world peace’
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who chaired the Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul, underlined these negotiations aimed at advancing peace efforts between the two countries.
“Today was an important day for world peace,” Hakan Fidan said on X, regarding the Istanbul peace talks.
The intense diplomatic talks, held under Türkiye’s facilitation, resulted in an agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners from each side as a confidence-building measure, Fidan noted.
They also agreed to share in writing the conditions that would enable a ceasefire with the other party, he added.
“Parties also have agreed in principle to come together again,” Fidan stressed.
“As Türkiye, we will continue to make every effort to enable a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine,” the foreign minister also said.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov announced that 1,000 captives will be exchanged from each side—the largest such exchange since the war began—after both sides met in Istanbul for talks moderated by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Largest prisoner swap
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who led Kiev at the Istanbul talks, also confirmed that the two sides have agreed to carry out the largest prisoner-of-war exchange since the onset of the conflict between the two countries.
Speaking at a news conference in Istanbul, Umerov emphasised that this agreement was the key outcome of the meeting, mentioning that the date for the exchange has been set but cannot be disclosed at this stage.
"The meeting has concluded. We discussed a ceasefire and prisoner exchanges. Currently, we have agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners for 1,000 prisoners. These are the results of our meeting," he stated.
Vladimir Medinskiy, head of the Russian delegation at talks with Ukraine, says Moscow is “generally satisfied” with the results of the meeting, and contacts will continue.
