Ukraine- Russia hold face-to-face talks amid calls for ceasefire and sanctions

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators met in Istanbul, Turkiye, on Friday for their first face-to-face peace talks since March 2022, marking a key moment in efforts to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.

The meeting took place at the Dolmabahce Palace on the Bosphorus River, under pressure from United States President Donald Trump to seek an end to the war.

The talks were expected to show some diplomatic progress, though hopes for a major breakthrough were low.

Trump further dampened expectations by saying no movement would happen without a meeting between himself and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Trump said on Friday he would meet Putin “as soon as we can set it up.”

In Istanbul, the talks venue saw the arrival of vehicles carrying the delegations, and a meeting began between Turkish, US, and Ukrainian officials. The Ukrainian and Russian teams met in the presence of Turkish officials starting at 0930 GMT.

Putin had proposed the talks in Turkiye but declined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s offer to meet in person.

Instead, Russia sent a team of mid-ranking officials. Zelenskiy called Putin’s decision to send what he described as a “decorative” delegation proof that the Russian leader is not serious about ending the bloodshed.

Russia, on the other hand, accused Ukraine of trying “to put on a show” around the talks.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived in Istanbul for the talks, said the low level of the negotiating teams made a major breakthrough unlikely.

“I hope I’m wrong. I hope I’m 100 per cent wrong. I hope tomorrow the news says they have agreed to a ceasefire; they have agreed to enter serious negotiations. But I’m just giving you my assessment, honestly,” Rubio said.

The talks are seen by Russia as a continuation of negotiations from early 2022 in Istanbul. Back then, Ukraine was struggling from the invasion’s initial impact, and Russia demanded big cuts to Ukraine’s military.

Now, with Russia controlling nearly a fifth of Ukraine, Putin continues to demand Kyiv give up territory, abandon NATO membership ambitions, and declare neutrality.

Ukraine rejects these demands, calling them surrender, and is seeking security guarantees from world powers, especially the US.

Meanwhile, the European Union is working on a new package of sanctions to increase pressure on Putin, according to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

She said the sanctions would target Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, more Russian vessels, and the financial sector. The EU has already adopted 17 sanction packages, but reaching agreement among its 27 members is becoming harder.

“He does not want peace, so we have to increase the pressure. This is why we are working on a new package of sanctions,” von der Leyen said ahead of a European summit in Albania.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also criticized Putin’s decision to send a low-level delegation. Starmer said, “Putin is not serious about peace” and stressed the need for unity among allies to push for a ceasefire and coordinated sanctions if talks fail.