Ukraine and Russia held their first face-to-face peace talks in over three years on Friday in Istanbul, marking a rare diplomatic development in Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II
However, expectations remain low for any immediate breakthrough.
The high-stakes meeting took place at Istanbul’s historic Dolmabahce Palace, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan opening the session at 1:35 p.m. local time. Seated between the flags of Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia, Fidan presided over the delegations as Russian and Ukrainian officials faced off across the table.
Ukraine entered the talks demanding an “unconditional ceasefire” to end the fighting that has devastated the country, killed tens of thousands, and displaced millions. Meanwhile, Russia said it wants to address what it calls the “root causes” of the war, referencing failed negotiations in 2022 during which Moscow demanded major territorial and political concessions from Kyiv.
In the lead-up to the talks, tensions flared, with both sides exchanging accusations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Russia for not being serious about peace, pointing to Moscow’s decision to send a lower-level delegation instead of President Vladimir Putin, who had initially proposed the meeting.
“The Ukrainian delegation is in Istanbul today to achieve an unconditional ceasefire — this is our priority,” Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak reiterated. Zelensky himself accused the Kremlin of undermining the talks by sending officials without real decision-making power.
Despite the low expectations, the fact that direct talks are happening at all is seen as a modest step forward, driven in large part by mounting pressure from Washington.
Both Moscow and Washington have indicated growing interest in high-level diplomacy. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday said that a meeting between President Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump, who is seeking re-election, would be “extremely important” for resolving the conflict. Trump echoed the sentiment, saying Thursday that “nothing will be settled” without a direct meeting between the two leaders.
While little progress is expected in Istanbul, Friday’s meeting marks a potential shift in the diplomatic landscape of the war, now entering its fourth year.
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