The next round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are planned for Wednesday in Türkiye, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy quoted the head of Ukraine’s Security and Defense Council as saying on Monday.
“Today I discussed with Rustem Umerov the preparation for a prisoner exchange and another meeting with the Russian side in Türkiye,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.
“Umerov reported that the meeting is planned for Wednesday. More details will follow tomorrow,” he said.
Umerov, now secretary of Ukraine’s Security and Defense Council, headed the first two rounds of talks with Russia.
The rival sides met earlier in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2 amid U.S. pressure to agree a cease-fire to end the three-year-old conflict. Despite the urging of U.S. President Donald Trump, no major breakthrough was made.
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators have so far only agreed to hold prisoner exchanges. And Russia has since launched intense air attacks on Ukraine and seized more frontline territory.
Russia has demanded Ukraine to give up four regions, on top of Crimea, which it annexed in 2014. The Kremlin also insists Ukraine should give up any idea of joining the NATO military alliance.
Ukraine has rejected the demands and expressed doubt that Russia wants a cease-fire.
After Trump last week gave Russia 50 days to negotiate a deal or face heavy sanctions, and also renewed arms supplies to Ukraine, the Kremlin said it was ready for more talks.
The two sides exchanged ideas at the earlier talks on what a peace deal could look like, but remain far apart.
“A lot of diplomatic work lies ahead,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters earlier on Monday, commenting on the prospects for a breakthrough.
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