Istanbul, June 2, 2025 — Russia and Ukraine agreed on another large-scale prisoner exchange during peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, but failed to make progress toward halting the ongoing war, now in its third year.
At the second round of direct negotiations — the first since the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion — Ukraine proposed an unconditional ceasefire. However, Moscow rejected the offer, instead suggesting a limited pause in hostilities for two to three days in select front-line areas to recover the bodies of fallen soldiers.
Prisoner Exchange Deal Reached
Despite the lack of a truce, both sides confirmed a significant agreement to exchange all seriously wounded and critically ill prisoners of war, as well as all captured soldiers aged 18 to 25.
“We agreed on an all-for-all exchange for two categories — seriously wounded and sick, and all young soldiers under 25,” said Ukraine’s chief negotiator and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.
Russia’s lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, said the exchange would involve at least 1,000 prisoners from each side, exceeding the previous month’s 1,000-for-1,000 swap.
Russia Proposes Limited Ceasefire
Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergiy Kyslytsya, confirmed that Russia rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire. Medinsky said Russia was instead offering a “temporary ceasefire” in certain zones for humanitarian purposes.
In a further development, Ukraine announced that both sides had agreed to repatriate the remains of 6,000 deceased soldiers. Russia said it would unilaterally hand over Ukrainian bodies, while suggesting it was unclear whether Ukraine had any Russian bodies to return.
No Peace Reward for Putin, Says Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that any peace deal must not reward Russian aggression.
“The aggressor must not benefit. Putin must receive nothing that justifies this war,” Zelensky said during a press conference in Vilnius, flanked by NATO leaders.
Russia submitted a document outlining its conditions for a ceasefire and a broader peace settlement, which Ukraine said it would review. Moscow’s demands include:
- Ukrainian territorial concessions
- A ban on NATO membership
- Limits on Ukraine’s military
- An end to Western military assistance
Kyiv and its allies have consistently rejected these terms, describing Russia’s invasion as a neo-imperialist attempt to redraw Europe’s borders by force.
Calls for Putin-Zelensky Summit
Umerov proposed another round of talks before the end of June and called for discussions about a potential summit between Zelensky and Putin. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan offered to host a three-way meeting involving Zelensky, Putin, and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan opened the talks by declaring that “the eyes of the world” were watching the outcome.
War Toll and Ground Situation
Since the invasion began, tens of thousands have died, millions have been displaced, and much of eastern and southern Ukraine has been devastated in what has become Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II.
Amid ongoing hostilities, Ukraine claimed responsibility for a daring drone strike inside Russia on Sunday, damaging 40 strategic bombers in what it called a “special operation” planned over 18 months. The estimated cost of the aircraft hit was $7 billion.
Meanwhile, Russian troops have advanced further, particularly in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, after President Putin ordered the creation of a buffer zone along the border.
Hope Fading on the Front Lines
In Dobropillya, a front-line town in eastern Ukraine, residents expressed deep frustration and despair.
“We thought it would end… but now, there’s nothing left to hope for,” said 53-year-old Volodymyr. “We have no home, nothing. We were almost killed by drones.”
Despite the prisoner exchange breakthrough, a path to peace remains elusive.
