Select Language:
Update on Ukraine-Russia Talks
The Kremlin announced on Saturday that a meeting between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine will only be feasible once both parties reach an understanding. This statement followed a day after Moscow and Kyiv engaged in their first direct discussions in over three years, which unfortunately did not yield any agreements toward a ceasefire.
The events took a tragic turn the morning after the talks when a Russian drone targeted a minibus evacuating civilians in eastern Sumy, resulting in nine fatalities and five injuries, according to local officials.
In response to the attack, Zelensky took to social media, stating, “Yesterday, like on all days of this war, there was a chance to declare a ceasefire. Russia continues to possess only the option to keep killing.” He urged Ukraine’s allies to intensify sanctions against Moscow, emphasizing, “Without stronger sanctions and increased pressure on Russia, real diplomacy cannot be achieved.”
These discussions represented the first direct engagement since spring 2022, shortly after the onset of Russia’s large-scale invasion, which began that February. The previous talks in Istanbul had concluded with a significant agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners from each side.
Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, indicated that the "next step" would be a meeting between Zelensky and Putin. The Kremlin acknowledged this proposal, suggesting it is possible but only contingent upon both parties making progress and reaching agreements.
Putin’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, stated that both sides would outline their perspectives for a potential ceasefire, although he did not specify when this would occur. The Kremlin has insisted that the prisoner exchange must be finalized first and that both sides need to present their visions for a ceasefire before planning further discussions.
“Right now, we need to implement what the delegations agreed upon yesterday in Turkey,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, adding that this primarily involves completing the prisoner swap.
The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Kirillo Budanov, expressed hope that the exchange would occur next week, stating he did not foresee any obstacles to the swap.
Ongoing Hostilities
As of Saturday, there were minimal indications that hostilities would be winding down. The minibus attack took place near Bilopillya, where local community leader Yuri Zarko confirmed that a family of three was among those killed.
In other frontline developments, the Russian military announced they had taken control of Oleksandropil village in the Donetsk region, which continues to witness some of the fiercest fighting. Beyond Sumy, missile strikes and drone attacks targeted various locations throughout eastern Ukraine, including the Kherson, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions, leading to six deaths and numerous injuries. In Kherson, Russian artillery even struck a truck that was delivering humanitarian aid early on Saturday.
The Call for Action
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed confidence that U.S. President Joe Biden would respond to Putin’s “cynicism” following the deadly minibus strike. Putin declined to travel to Turkey for the meeting, leading Zelensky to accuse him of being “afraid” and criticized Russia for treating the talks insincerely.
“Everyone witnessed a weak and ill-prepared Russian delegation in Istanbul. This needs to change. We require concrete steps to end the conflict,” Zelensky remarked on Saturday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed the results of the Istanbul discussions during a phone call with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, with Russia indicating its readiness to engage further with the U.S. on this matter.
On Friday, Zelensky participated in a European summit held in Albania, where he urged the international community to respond strongly if the discussions in Istanbul fall short, highlighting the potential for new sanctions. Macron confirmed that European nations were coordinating with the U.S. on supplementary sanctions should Moscow continue to reject an “unconditional ceasefire.”
Both Russia and the U.S. have emphasized the necessity for a meeting between Putin and Biden concerning the conflict. Biden has posited that “nothing will change” until he meets Putin in person. During the Istanbul dialogue, Ukrainian representatives criticized Russia’s "unacceptable" territorial demands.
Moscow has maintained claims over five Ukrainian regions—four since the 2022 invasion and Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
Add us on ChatGPT
Add us on Perplexity
