Russia, Ukraine Discuss Truce, Prisoner Swap at Direct Talks

Ukraine and European powers had demanded that Putin commit to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire to create space for negotiations on a peace deal

- Bloomberg

WASHINGTON: The first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in more than three years ended in Turkey with an agreement on an exchange of prisoners and discussions on a potential ceasefire, though no truce was announced.

The negotiations in Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace lasted about two hours, on Friday. Ukraine and Russia said they'd agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners each in coming days, in separate statements.

The sides also discussed "all modalities" of a truce, said Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who led Kyiv's delegation. "Now we need to exchange people, and soon we will inform you what is the next stage," he said.

Russia is "satisfied with the results, and we are ready to continue contacts," Vladimir Medinsky, who led Moscow's negotiators, told reporters in televised comments. "We agreed that each side will present its vision of a potential future ceasefire, in detail," and then talks will resume, he said. Russia also took note of a request by the Ukrainian side for direct talks between the presidents of the two countries, Medinsky said.