Ukraine-Russia peace talks end after barely an hour, Turkish officials say

Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine ended abruptly in Istanbul on Monday, lasting just over an hour amid mounting tensions following a major Ukrainian drone strike on Russian strategic bombers and renewed pressure from the U.S. for a breakthrough.

A second round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine concluded abruptly on Monday in Istanbul, ending just over an hour after they began, according to Turkish officials. The discussions, which marked only the second direct meeting between the two sides since 2022, started nearly two hours behind schedule with no explanation for the delay.

The talks came just one day after Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack targeting Russia’s nuclear-capable strategic bombers, fueling anger in Moscow. Prominent Russian war bloggers demanded retaliation, while satellite imagery suggested significant damage to Russian air assets, despite conflicting official reports on the extent of the losses.

Hosted at the historic Çırağan Palace on the Bosphorus, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan opened the session by urging both delegations to explore conditions for a ceasefire, the possibility of a presidential summit, and expanded prisoner exchange efforts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking from Lithuania, confirmed that preparations for a new prisoner of war exchange were underway. His chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, also stated that Ukrainian negotiators had submitted a list of deported children Kyiv wants returned from Russia, calling their repatriation a key issue in the peace process. Ukraine accuses Russia of forcibly relocating hundreds of children from occupied territories—an allegation Moscow denies, claiming the relocations were for the children’s safety.

Few other details emerged from the brief meeting. While the delegations were expected to discuss competing visions for a ceasefire and a broader peace roadmap, no concrete outcomes were reported. Pressure continues to mount from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has warned that the United States may reconsider its role in the negotiations if meaningful progress is not achieved.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced that Kyiv has proposed a new round of peace talks with Russia to be held between June 20 and 30. This proposal follows the recent Istanbul meeting, which concluded with limited progress but included agreements on prisoner exchanges and humanitarian issues. Umerov emphasized the importance of continued dialogue to advance toward a lasting ceasefire and comprehensive peace agreement.

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