Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks since 2022 in Istanbul, under the pressure of U.S. President Donald Trump, but no significant breakthroughs were achieved. Ukraine sought a 30-day ceasefire which Moscow rejected, adhering to strict demands that limit Ukrainian sovereignty. The meeting resulted only in a significant prisoner exchange of 1,000 POWs each, marking a notable moment in the ongoing conflict. The lack of meaningful dialogue was a setback for Ukraineâs President Zelenskyy, who sought to expose Putinâs positions and advocate for peace.
The only tangible result of the talks... was that the two sides agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each, the largest prisoner swap of the conflict.
While the meeting appeared to achieve little toward ending the conflict, it represents a symbolic win for Putin, who refused to accept the 30-day ceasefire.
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