Ukraine continues to insist on a complete and unconditional ceasefire

Ukraine continues to insist on a complete and unconditional ceasefire as a basis for effective diplomacy, said the head of the Kiev delegation to the talks in Istanbul with Moscow Rustem Umerov after the end of the meeting between the two sides last night, quoted by Ukrinform and BTA.

"We are ready for a ceasefire right now and for the start of meaningful peace talks. It depends on both sides whether they will manage to agree on this first and most important step towards peace. We emphasize that the ceasefire must be genuine. It must include the cessation of all attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure. "Real steps are possible and each side must show a constructive and realistic approach," Umerov, a former Ukrainian defense minister and recently secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, told journalists.

He added that his country is offering Russia a leadership meeting to reach an agreement to end the war by the end of next month.

Yesterday, a new round of peace talks between delegations from Moscow and Kiev took place in Istanbul.

The Ukrainian representatives arrived in the Turkish metropolis from Ankara, where they met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

This evening, an exchange of prisoners of war between the two countries, agreed in Istanbul, also took place.