Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks in Istanbul End After Just an Hour, Turkish Officials Say
A second round of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine concluded abruptly after less than an hour on Monday in Istanbul, according to Turkish officials. The talks, held at the Ciragan Palace overlooking the Bosphorus, were already delayed by nearly two hours without explanation. The mood at the start of the talks was tense, with Russia reportedly feeling angered following Ukraine’s recent large-scale drone attack targeting Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers—a move that significantly impacted Moscow’s military assets and heightened fears of escalation. Both sides offered contrasting accounts of the damage inflicted, especially concerning Russia’s long-range nuclear bombers, which are a critical component of its nuclear arsenal. Satellite imagery indicated that Russia’s equipment had indeed suffered serious losses, fueling their fury in the immediate aftermath.Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized that the purpose of the discussions was to evaluate conditions for a potential ceasefire, explore a possible meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents, and discuss further prisoner exchanges. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, speaking later from Lithuania, stated that Ukraine and Russia were preparing to exchange prisoners of war again. Ukrainian officials also presented a list of the hundreds of children forcibly deported by Russian forces, seeking their repatriation as part of broader peace negotiations—Moscow claims the children were moved to protect them from ongoing conflict. Details about the specifics of the dialogue or any breakthroughs were not immediately available. The negotiations come amid increased international pressure, with U.S. President Donald Trump urging progress or the U.S. could step back from its mediating role.
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