Russia put forward demands unacceptable to Ukraine during Istanbul talks – Foreign Ministry
During the negotiations in Istanbul, the Russian side voiced a number of demands that Ukraine considers unacceptable.
This was stated by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi during a briefing following the talks, Censor.NET reports.
According to him, the Russian delegation put forward conditions that Kyiv deemed unacceptable.
When asked by journalists about the nature of these demands, Tykhyi emphasized that he was not authorized to disclose the details of the negotiation process for diplomatic reasons, but underscored that the Ukrainian side stood firm on its position.
"I can say that there were indeed several demands from the Russian side that were unacceptable to the Ukrainian delegation. We were prepared for this — the delegation knew it was likely to happen. That’s why we kept a calm tone, clearly defended our position, and expressed our views. We believe the Ukrainian delegation did so effectively," Tykhyi noted.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also suggested that the Russian delegation had a limited mandate and was not prepared to sign any documents regarding a ceasefire.
"We held our ground, stuck to our line, and steered the conversation back to the points that matter to us — to what is realistically achievable. And if we managed to reach agreement on at least one issue — the 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange — that is already significant. It will bring joy to at least a thousand Ukrainian families. That is an achievement by the Ukrainian delegation," he concluded.
Talks in Turkey
On the night of May 11, Putin proposed resuming direct negotiations with Ukraine "without any preconditions" in Turkey on May 15.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Ukraine must immediately agree to Russia’s proposal for direct talks in Turkey.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would personally wait for Putin on May 15. He also noted that he would like Trump to be present in Turkey as well.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin officially approved the composition of the delegation that will travel to Istanbul on May 15 for negotiations with Ukraine.
On May 15, the Russian delegation arrived in Istanbul for talks with Ukraine.
It was later reported that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would send a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul for negotiations with the Russian side.
Russian media later reported that the negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul had been rescheduled for May 16.
On the evening of May 15, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved the composition of the Ukrainian delegation for participation in the negotiation process with the Russian Federation in Türkiye, scheduled for May 15–16.
On May 16, in the second half of the day, a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations began, with participation from the Turkish side.
Less than two hours after it began, the meeting between the delegations of Ukraine, Russia, and Türkiye in Istanbul on May 16 concluded.
