On June 30, brief talks were held in Istanbul between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations. The meeting lasted about 40 minutes without a formal personal meeting between delegation heads Umerov and Medinsky. Commentators note this as a sign of limited progress in developing the negotiation process.
Instead, Ukrainian Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak and Ukrainian delegate met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, highlighting Istanbul's continued role as a platform for dialogue and message exchange between the conflict parties.
Officially, Ukraine confirmed ongoing efforts to organize a bilateral meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Vladimir Putin, aiming for it to take place by the end of August. Alternative international formats are also being considered, such as meetings involving leaders of the US, China, and Turkey at events in China in early September.
The talks, according to participants, have a political dimension, as Ukraine aims to demonstrate its commitment to a peaceful solution and maintain international support. The exchange of prisoners of war was a key topic, with agreements for further exchanges and the return of civilians reported.
Despite a lack of major breakthroughs, participants stress the importance of continuing Istanbul meetings to sustain dialogue and seek compromises in the peaceful settlement process.
