Turkey-Russia-Ukraine Trilateral Meeting - 3rd Round
The third round of negotiations was held on 23 July at the Çırağan Palace in Istanbul. The meeting began around 18:00 local time and lasted until approximately 21:30, totaling about three and a half hours.
The Turkish delegation was led by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and included National Intelligence Organization Chief Ibrahim Kalın and Chief of the General Staff General Metin Gürak. Representing Russia were Vladimir Medinsky, advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin. The Ukrainian delegation included Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Ruslan Umerov, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya, Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, and Deputy Chief of Military Intelligence Vadym Skybytskyi.
Turkey’s Diplomatic Role and Opening Statements
The third round of negotiations opened with a statement by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. In his remarks, Fidan emphasized Turkey’s role as host and facilitator in the negotiation process, stating that Turkey is committed to creating a climate of trust for the parties involved. He underscored that diplomacy is a process, and that this process can only gain meaning through concrete achievements at each step.
At the opening of the meeting, Fidan stated that the ultimate goal is to establish a ceasefire that paves the way to peace. He affirmed Turkey’s readiness to fulfill its responsibilities based on any agreement reached by the parties. He noted that should a mutual understanding on a ceasefire emerge, Turkey possesses the necessary infrastructure to support a monitoring mechanism and can contribute to a more structured approach to prisoner exchanges.
Fidan also stressed the importance of focused and results-oriented consultations based on the memoranda previously exchanged by the parties. He highlighted that these talks in Istanbul represent a significant opportunity to demonstrate that peace can be achieved through diplomacy and dialogue.
In his remarks, Fidan noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have expressed support for the negotiations, that U.S. President Donald Trump has contributed to the process, and that other countries have provided direct or indirect support. He reiterated that Turkey has been actively working since the first days of the conflict to establish a lasting peace.
In a social media post following the meeting, Hakan Fidan announced that decisions were made to take additional steps on the exchange of war prisoners, the repatriation of remains, and the return of civilians. He also stated that the proposal to establish working groups on political, humanitarian and military issues was under consideration, and that technical talks aimed at bringing the parties’ positions closer together will continue.
Ukraine’s Demands and Priorities
The Ukrainian delegation conveyed its core priorities at the outset of the negotiations. Following the talks, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Ruslan Umerov stated that Ukraine’s primary objective is the convening of a summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He proposed that this summit be held by the end of August, and called for the participation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Umerov emphasized that any ceasefire must be comprehensive and unconditional, and that it must serve as the foundation of the peace process. He called for an immediate halt to all attacks on civilian settlements and critical infrastructure, asserting that the first necessary step toward ending the war is the complete cessation of such attacks.
The Ukrainian side also raised the issue of the return of children reported to have been abducted and the release of civilians. Umerov stressed that the release of children is an urgent humanitarian priority. It was reported that during the talks, the situation of civilian detainees and abducted children was addressed in detail alongside the exchange of war prisoners.
In statements made on behalf of the delegation, it was emphasized that Ukraine has always been open to negotiations, but that such talks must proceed on the basis of unconditional mutual good faith. Umerov stated that they are ready to evaluate every opportunity for peace and that the process initiated with the United States is ongoing. He also noted that the previously submitted memoranda by both sides could be useful for setting the agenda and that both parties are in favor of continuing technical-level consultations. The Ukrainian side stated that, at the current stage, Russia is avoiding taking the fundamental step toward peace, yet Ukraine remains ready at all times for a ceasefire and humanitarian measures.
Russian Delegation’s Approaches and Proposals
The Russian delegation was led by Vladimir Medinsky, adviser to President Vladimir Putin, at the third round of talks. In his statement following the meeting, Medinsky noted that while the negotiations have lasted a long time, the positions of the two sides remain significantly distant. He confirmed that both parties agreed to continue contact. He proposed establishing permanent working groups to operate online in three areas: political issues, humanitarian matters, and military topics. Each group would consist of experts appointed by the relevant authorities. The Ukrainian side has decided to evaluate this proposal.
Medinsky stated that the Russian side proposed declaring short-term ceasefires of 24 to 48 hours to facilitate the evacuation of the dead and wounded from the front lines. These ceasefires are intended to allow medical teams to safely reach the battlefield and for military commands to retrieve the bodies of fallen soldiers. It was highlighted that unmanned aerial vehicle activity in the gray zones poses a risk to medical personnel.
The delegation also indicated its readiness to hand over the remains of 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers. It was proposed that these remains be delivered to the Ukrainian side through the International Committee of the Red Cross. Medinsky claimed that some Ukrainian prisoners of war had been returned to the front lines in violation of previously agreed conditions. He stated that they did not understand why this had occurred and called for a clear definition of the status of prisoners of war.
Regarding a meeting of leaders, the Russian delegation adopted a cautious approach. Medinsky emphasized that such a meeting should be the final stage of a process and cannot take place without a specific agenda and concrete preparations. He stated that, first and foremost, agreement must be reached between the parties on specific issues.
The Russian delegation also addressed allegations concerning Ukrainian children reported to have been abducted. Medinsky stated that the status of the 329 children listed by Ukraine had been reviewed, and that the majority of them were not in Russia, while the remainder were in state-supervised care facilities. He clarified that children would be returned if their legal parents or representatives were identified. He also noted that Russian children reportedly taken from Russian territory to Ukraine or European countries had been raised in the discussions, and that a list of 20 such children and their representatives had been provided to the Ukrainian side.
Prisoner Exchange and Humanitarian Issues
The most concrete progress achieved during the third round of negotiations concerned the reciprocal exchange of prisoners of war and remains. Both sides reached agreement on the exchange of approximately 1,200 prisoners of war, making this one of the most comprehensive agreements to date compared to previous exchanges.
The Russian delegation noted that the exchange of 250 soldiers along the Ukraine-Belarus border had been completed and that a new phase of this process is now on the agenda. The Ukrainian side reaffirmed its commitment to continuing the process. Yuriy Kovbasa, representative of the Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that there had been calls for the release of those held as prisoners for more than three years, and that Russia had accepted this request in principle. The priority of exchanging wounded prisoners was prominently raised during the negotiations.
The Russian side indicated its readiness to hand over the remains of 3,000 deceased Ukrainian soldiers. The delivery of these remains is planned through the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Ukrainian side noted that due to logistical obstacles, particularly the lack of refrigerated transport vehicles, the process may take longer.
The situation of children and civilians was also discussed during the negotiations. The Ukrainian side declared that it prioritizes the release of civilians, especially children held as civilian prisoners. Umerov stated that this issue concerns more than 1,200 individuals and that efforts are being carried out accordingly. It was also noted that Ukraine is working on lists documenting approximately 19,000 children allegedly forcibly taken out of the country.
The Russian side stated that the children are under state protection, that their physical and psychological well-being is being monitored, and that they will be immediately returned if their legal parents or close relatives are identified. It was proposed that an online humanitarian working group be established to coordinate the return of civilians, the humane delivery of remains, and the systematic conduct of future similar exchanges.
