The second round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine ended on Monday at Istanbul’s Ciragan Palace after more than an hour of talks, Anadolu reported.
The Russian delegation was led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, while the Ukrainian delegation was led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The Ukrainian delegation also included the foreign minister, the head of the intelligence service, and the chief of the General Staff.
Speaking at a press conference during the Vilnius Summit with the B9 and Nordic countries, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the conclusion of the talks, saying he was waiting for a report from Umerov.
“The delegations exchanged documents through the Turkish side, and we are also preparing a new exchange of prisoners of war,” Zelensky said.
After the talks, Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office and a member of the delegation, announced on Telegram that Ukraine had requested the return of children who, according to Kiev, were “illegally deported and forcibly transferred” to Russian-controlled territories.
Istanbul also hosted a previous round of talks on May 16, which resulted in the largest prisoner exchange between the two countries since the start of the Moscow-Kiev conflict, now in its fourth year.
Turkey has maintained close relations with both sides throughout the war and has repeatedly offered to mediate to facilitate dialogue and peace efforts.
