Turkish FM declares Russia, Ukraine agreed to future discussions

(MENAFN) Moscow and Kiev have agreed in principle to hold follow-up negotiations aimed at resolving the ongoing Ukraine conflict, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who observed the talks in Istanbul on Friday. This meeting marked the first direct discussions between Russia and Ukraine in three years, facilitated by Türkiye.

Fidan shared the news on X (formerly Twitter), revealing that both delegations had agreed on the possibility of a future meeting. Additionally, the two sides have agreed to a major prisoner swap, with 1,000 prisoners of war to be exchanged from each side, the largest such swap since the escalation of the conflict in 2022. Both Russia’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, and Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed the agreement.

The delegations have also agreed to share written proposals outlining conditions for a potential ceasefire. While there is no set timeline for the exchange of these proposals, a key agreement to proceed has been reached, according to TASS.

Turkey has played a consistent role as a neutral mediator, utilizing its diplomatic ties with both Russia and Ukraine to facilitate these talks. In 2022, Medinsky's team had negotiated a potential peace deal that included Russian security guarantees in exchange for Ukraine’s neutrality and restrictions on its military. However, Ukraine later pulled out of the negotiations, with Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia revealing that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had advised Kiev to continue fighting instead of pursuing peace.

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