Peace talks in Istanbul: First dialogue for three years!

Peace talks in Istanbul: First dialogue for three years!

On May 16, 2025, direct discussions between Ukrainian and Russian representatives on the Ukraine War took place for the first time in Istanbul. The talks were opened by the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who was present by video transmission. Before these negotiations, there was advice between Ukraine, the USA and Turkey as well as high -ranking discussions with France, Great Britain and Germany. Insiders report that Ukraine strives for a ceasefire as a central priority. The negotiations should also be accompanied by "confidence -building measures", such as the return of Ukrainian children, imprisoned civilians and the exchange of prisoners of war, which underlines the urgency of these conversations.

The talks that were originally planned for Thursday in Istanbul were delayed because no agreement could be reached. The absence of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin dampened hopes for significant progress. US President Donald Trump expressed that a breakthrough was only possible if he and Putin were in the same room. The Kremlin itself was pessimistic about an early meeting between Putin and Trump; Press spokesman Dmitri Peskow emphasized that such a meeting had to be prepared well.

corpse exchange and progress

In these conversations, there was an exchange of mutually fallen soldiers: Ukraine received the remains of 909 soldiers who fell in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Saporischschja, Charkiw and Sumy regions. This exchange was conveyed by the International Red Cross. In return, Russia received 34 corpses. While the Russian delegation in Istanbul wanted to advance the talks, it expressed the desire to change the talks. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte criticized the absence of Putin and the situation as a matter of worrying.

In the current situation, there are also reports on military disputes: Kiev reported explosions as a result of a Russian drone attack. At the same time, Ukraine, according to its own statements, spent $ 770 million for weapons that were either not delivered or unusable. A Ukrainian F-16 fight jet also crashed, but the pilot remained unharmed. https://www.n-tv.de/politik/12-25-ukraine-uber-stanbul-es-erst-bildendendendendendendes-mass23143824.html

peace talks in crisis mode

The Ukraine War has been ongoing since February 2022, and the willingness of Russia for peace talks is currently being accompanied by conditions. Kremlin spokesman Peskow said that recognition of the annexation of four Ukrainian regions was the prerequisite for discussions. In September 2022, Russia explained the takeover of Donetsk, Luhansk, Saporischschja and Cherson, which is not recognized by the international community because Russia has no military control over these areas. https://www.gentside.de/news/welt/fragenspraecheim-ukraine-wieg-russland-aeusSert-denten_art25247.html

At the G7 meeting, the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj called for the immediate withdrawal of all Russian troops from the occupied areas. However, Peskow could not agree and explained that such a deduction was not to be expected before Christmas. In the middle of these geopolitical tensions, the Federal Chancellor Merz announced further sanctions against Russia and emphasized the need to protect the territorial integrity of Ukraine.