Ukraine urges on allies to keep pressure on Russia following talks yield no ceasefire

Kyiv rallied backing from its Western allies on Friday following Ukraine and Russia failed to accept to a truce at their first direct discussions in over three years, with Moscow presenting circumstances that a Ukrainian source defined as “non-starters”.

Under pressure from United States President Trump to end the bloodiest war in Europe from World War Two, delegates from the warring nations met for the first time since March 2022, the month following Russia captured its neighbour.

The discussions in an Istanbul palace took less than two hours. Moscow showed satisfaction with the meeting and stated it was ready to ongoing contacts. Both nations stated they had accepted to trade 1,000 prisoners of war each soon in what would be the largest such exchange yet.

But Ukraine, which wants the West to enforce tighter sanctions on Russia unless President Putin agrees a proposal from Donald Trump for a 30-day truce, instantly started rallying its allies for tougher action.

As soon as the discussions finished, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated on X that he had spoken by phone with Donald Trump and the leaders of France, Germany and Poland.

“Ukraine is ready to take the fastest possible steps to bring real peace, and it is important that the world holds a strong stance,” Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated. He urged for “tough sanctions” if Russia denies a full and unconditional truce.

Moscow – which is slowly but steadily forging ahead on the battlefield and is worried that kyiv will use such a halt to regroup and re-arm – has stated it needs to nail down the terms of a truce prior signing up to one.

“We have agreed that each side will present its vision of a possible future ceasefire and spell it out in detail,” Russia’s lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, told reporters after the meeting. “After such a vision has been presented, we believe it would be appropriate, as also agreed, to continue our negotiations.”

At the meeting hosted by Turkey, the delegations sat opposite one another at a U-shaped table, with the Russians dressed in suits whereas half of the Ukrainians wore military uniforms.

The atmosphere was peaceful, a Turkish official stated. No specific timetable or location was accepted for the next discussions, the official stated, with both parties needing to inform their leaders first.

The Ukraine’s spoke in their own language through an interpreter, according to the Ukrainian source, however Russian is extensively spoken in Ukraine.

A Ukrainian and a European source stated Russia dismissed a Ukraine’s request for United States representatives to be in the room.

Two sources known with the discussions stated Medinsky stated Moscow was ready to keep fighting for as long as needed, drawing a parallel with the conflicts of Tsar Peter the Great against Sweden, which continued 21 years in the early 1700s.

“We do not want war, but we are ready to fight for a year, two, three — as long as you want,” one of the sources cited him as mentioning.

A Ukraine’s delegation source stated Russian demands in the meeting were “detached from reality and go far beyond anything that was previously discussed”.

The source, speaking on situation of anonymity, stated Russia had issued ultimatums for Ukraine to pull out from parts of its own region in order to acquire a truce, “and other non-starters and non-constructive conditions”.

Keir Starmer, British Prime Minister stated the Russia’s position was “clearly unacceptable” and that European leaders, Ukraine and the United States were “closely aligning” their comments.

Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President stated the EU was working on a new set of sanctions against Russia.

Moscow has stated it sees its discussions with Ukraine as a continuation of the 2022 mediations, further held in Istanbul. But the terms under talk then, when Kyiv was still reeling from Russia’s occupation, would be severely disadvantageous to Ukraine now.

They comprised a demand by Russia for big cuts to Ukrainian military. With Russia’s forces in control of about a fifth of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has further insisted ukraine cede region, withdraw NATO membership goals and become a neutral nation.

Ukraine denies these terms as tantamount to capitulation, and is looking for a assurance of its future security from global powers, specifically the United States.

Crediting efforts by Donald Trump and other United States officials, Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, wrote on X that Friday’s discussions produced “good results… 1. Largest POW exchange, 2. Ceasefire options that may work 3. Understanding of positions and continued dialogue”.

Vadimir Putin, following proposing the direct discussions in Turkey, rejected a challenge from Zelenskiy in-person meeting in Istanbul, denting hopes for a significant breakthrough.

Hopes diminished further on Thursday when Donald Trump, concluding a Middle East tour, stated there would be no movement until he and Russian Putin met.

The Kremlin stated on Friday a Putin-Trump meeting was significant to make progress but would need considerable preparation and would have to yield results.

Donald Trump, in an interview with Fox News that aired on Friday, stated he thought he would make “a deal” with Vladimir Putin but that he would enforce sanctions on Russia if “we’re not going to make a deal.”

Kyiv and Moscow acepted “in principle” on Friday to meet again, foreign minister of Turkey, Hakan Fidan, posted on X.

The Ukraine’s delegation leader, Defence Minister Umerov, stated the next following move be a meeting at the leaders’ level.

Vladimir Medinsky stated reporters his team had “taken note” of the Ukrainian request for direct discussions between Putin and Zelenskiy. (Forelines)