Istanbul: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Russia and Ukraine are set to engage in a new round of peace talks on Wednesday, following two previous meetings in Istanbul that failed to yield significant progress towards ending the ongoing war. "Today, I discussed with Ukrainian Security Council chief Rustem Umerov the preparations for the exchange and another meeting in Turkey with the Russian side. Umerov reported that the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday. More details will be available tomorrow," Zelensky stated in his daily address on Monday.
According to France24.com, Umerov, who is currently serving as the secretary of Ukraine's Security and Defence Council, led the initial two rounds of negotiations with Russia. These discussions have highlighted Russia's interest in exerting control over Ukraine’s electoral processes, linguistic and religious policies, while also aiming to prevent future demands for war reparations. The proposed terms have been deemed unacceptable by Ukraine, with the Kremlin acknowledging on Monday that both parties hold "diametrically opposed" positions on resolving the conflict.
Despite these challenges, Zelensky has urged for renewed dialogue, emphasizing the need for momentum in negotiations to bring an end to the war. "The agenda from our side is clear: the return of prisoners of war, the return of children abducted by Russia, and the preparation of a leaders meeting," he asserted during a gathering of diplomats in Kyiv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, facing mounting pressure from US President Donald Trump to demonstrate progress towards resolving the conflict, previously declined Zelensky's challenge for an in-person meeting. Putin continues to question Zelensky's legitimacy as Ukraine's leader, citing the absence of new elections when Zelensky's five-year mandate concluded last year due to martial law. Meanwhile, Trump has warned of imposing new sanctions within 50 days on Russia and nations purchasing its exports if a resolution to end the conflict is not reached by then.