Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Istanbul on June 2 — the results

On Monday, June 2, Russian and Ukrainian delegations convened in Istanbul for peace talks. One of the key topics discussed was the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war and the return of children who were deported to Russia.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced this during a briefing after the talks.

The results of the June 2 peace talks in Istanbul

According to Umerov, Russia only handed over its document to the Ukrainian delegation for processing today. Over the next week, the Ukrainian side will review the proposals.

Umerov emphasized that Ukraine insists on the release of all prisoners and the return of all abducted children.

The parties agreed to exchange prisoners of war within certain categories rather than specific numbers. Specifically, they agreed to exchange severely wounded and seriously ill soldiers on the principle of "all for all, as well as young soldiers aged 18 to 25 years — also on parity.

Separately, an agreement was reached to exchange the bodies of fallen soldiers at a ratio of 6,000 on each side.

Particular attention was paid to the issue of deported Ukrainian children. The Ukrainian side handed Russia a list of several hundred names. According to Umerov, the return of at least half of the children on the list would indicate Russia's willingness to pursue peace.

"This is a priority for us. If Russia is truly committed to the peace process, it must take a step forward," the minister emphasized.

Earlier, it was reported that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) conducted a historic special operation behind enemy lines, striking over 40 Russian strategic aircraft. SBU Head Vasyl Maliuk revealed new details about the operation and its results.

President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, said that Russia needs to realize the cost of its losses — this is what may force it to turn to diplomatic means. Operations such as Spider's Web should be an incentive for the Putin regime to begin negotiations.