The third round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine was held on Wednesday in Istanbul, lasting only 34 minutes—a reflection of the deep divisions between the two sides as the conflict grinds on with no end in sight.
Despite the brief duration of the meeting, Moscow and Kiev reached limited agreements on humanitarian matters. Russia offered to return the remains of 3,000 fallen Ukrainian soldiers, in addition to the 7,000 bodies previously handed over following last month’s talks.
Both parties also agreed to conduct a new round of prisoner exchanges, committing to a 1,200-person swap on a one-for-one basis. On Wednesday, a previously scheduled exchange of 250 prisoners was carried out at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border, stemming from commitments made during the June 2 meeting.
Russia additionally proposed the formation of three online working groups focused on political, humanitarian, and military issues to maintain consistent communication between delegations moving forward.
A key point of contention raised by the Russian side was the status of 30 civilians from the Kursk region, who were reportedly brought into Ukraine following Kiev’s August 2024 cross-border offensive. Russia accused Ukraine of failing to return the civilians, despite a prior agreement. Some of the Kursk residents are believed to have been included in earlier prisoner swaps, though Russia claims Ukraine intends to retain some civilians for leverage in future negotiations.
Ukraine, meanwhile, reiterated its accusations that Russia has forcibly taken Ukrainian children into Russian territory. In response, the Russian delegation stated that it had reviewed the list of names previously submitted by Ukraine and found that none of the children identified were currently located in Russia.
While humanitarian and prisoner-related agreements were reached, the broader diplomatic impasse remains unresolved. Ukraine continues to demand a ceasefire based on the current lines of contact and a direct meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia, however, insists on territorial and political concessions that Ukraine has repeatedly rejected, despite its worsening position on the battlefield.