Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia resume in Istanbul

Another round of talks with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine will take place in Istanbul on Wednesday, July 23. The meeting is scheduled for the evening, and the delegations will meet at the Çırağan Palace.

It was reported by Ukrinform, quoting the commentary of the Directorate of Communications of the Administration of the President of Turkey.

Talks with Russia

"The meeting is expected to begin at around 7 p.m. in the Beşiktaş district, at Çırağan Palace", it is said in the statement.

At the same time, they clarified that the agenda of the meeting may change.

Results of previous rounds of talks

During previous talks, the Ukrainian and Russian sides agreed to exchange POWs and the bodies of fallen soldiers.

During the meetings, Ukraine emphasized the need to return the occupied territories and provide security guarantees, while Russia demanded recognition of the annexed territories, Ukraine's neutrality, and limited NATO support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

According to Halyna Ostapovets, the journalist of Novyny.LIVE, the Ukrainian side would like to raise the level of the delegation so that they could talk about more than just the return of children and POWs.

At the same time, Ukraine wants to talk substantively about a ceasefire and a meeting at the level of heads of state, as the end of the war can only be achieved at the highest level.

As a reminder, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has named the key topics to be discussed with the Russian side.