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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday announced that Russia and Ukraine are set to hold a new round of peace talks in Türkiye on Wednesday (July 23), following two previous rounds in Istanbul that failed to yield significant progress.
“Today, I discussed with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov the preparations for the exchange and another meeting in Türkiye with the Russian side,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. “Umerov reported that the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday. More details will be available tomorrow.”
Zelenskyy did not elaborate on the agenda, but previous talks in Istanbul centered on cease-fire terms, prisoner exchanges, and humanitarian corridors amid Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
On July 19, the Ukrainian president said Kyiv proposed a new round of peace talks with Russia for "next week," stressing the importance of a leaders’ meeting to advance peace efforts, saying Ukraine was ready.
Both sides met in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2 amid US pressure to agree a cease-fire. Despite the urging of United States President Donald Trump, no breakthrough was made.
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators have so far only agreed to hold prisoner exchanges. And Russia has since launched intense air attacks on Ukraine and seized more frontline territory.
Russia has demanded Ukraine give up four regions, on top of Crimea, which it annexed in 2014. The Kremlin also insists Ukraine give up any idea of joining the NATO military alliance.
Ukraine, on the other hand, has rejected the demands and expressed doubt that Russia wants a cease-fire.
After Trump last week gave Russia 50 days to negotiate a deal or face heavy sanctions, and also renewed arms supplies to Ukraine, Russia said it was ready for more talks. The two sides exchanged ideas at the earlier talks on what a peace deal could look like, but remain far apart.
"A lot of diplomatic work lies ahead," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters earlier on Monday, commenting on the prospects for a breakthrough.
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