The second round of direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia is taking place in Istanbul today. The Ukrainian delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, has already arrived in the Turkish metropolis. The meeting is taking place in the iconic “Ciragan“ palace, located on the shores of the Bosphorus.
The Russian side is represented by Presidential Advisor Vladimir Medinsky, who heads the Moscow delegation, which arrived in Istanbul on Sunday evening.
The talks are taking place in the context of one of the largest Ukrainian drone attacks since the beginning of the war. According to Western sources, the attacks damaged or destroyed about a third of Russia's strategic aviation, with Moscow's damage estimated at more than $7 billion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced via his Telegram channel that before the meeting he had coordinated with the country's military and diplomatic teams, within which Kiev's short-term goals and positions were determined.
According to a leaked document published by the “Reuters“ agency, Ukraine is entering the negotiations with clearly formulated conditions for peace, which for the most part remain unchanged from the first round of talks. Kiev's main demands include:
Immediate and unconditional ceasefire on land, air and sea for at least 30 days, with the possibility of extension;
Return of deported Ukrainian children and exchange of all prisoners on the principle of “all for all“;
International security guarantees, including participation of external states in monitoring the agreements;
Preserving Ukraine's right to seek membership in the EU and NATO, as well as to have its own and allied forces on its territory;
Non-recognition of the territories occupied by Russia, with territorial issues to be discussed only after a full ceasefire;
Gradual elimination of sanctions against Russia, tied to the implementation of the agreements and the restoration of Ukraine through Russian assets;
Monitoring compliance with the ceasefire regime led by the US with international support.
The Ukrainian side has appealed to the Kremlin to submit in advance its own memorandum with proposals for ending the conflict. Moscow said it would present its official position during today's meeting.