The first high-level talks between Russia and Ukraine since the early months of Moscow's 2022 invasion showed that the two sides are far from agreeing on the steps needed for a ceasefire, although they have promised a major exchange of prisoners of war, Reuters reports today.
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However, the window for more diplomacy remains open after the arch-enemies agreed in principle to hold further talks, the foreign minister of host country Turkey said, a key point for US President Donald Trump, who wants a quick peace, Reuters reports in the article "Analysis - Istanbul peace talks exposed the chasm between Ukraine and Russia".
The negotiators' promises to release a thousand prisoners of war, to meet again for talks and to present their vision for a ceasefire were "significant steps," said Peter Slezkine, a senior fellow and director of the Russia program at the Stimson Center, a think tank that analyzes global peace issues.
"I think they are a sign that gives great hope, because direct contact between the two sides is an important event," he said.
Ukraine, the United States (US) and other Western countries have called for a 30-day ceasefire without preconditions to allow for peace talks.
Russia, which controls nearly a fifth of Ukraine, has shown little willingness to make concessions, repeating maximalist demands such as Ukraine's withdrawal and recognition of Russian control over four Ukrainian regions that the Kremlin now unilaterally claims as its own but does not fully control.
The measured tones of statements from both sides that accompanied the talks did nothing to hide the gulf between them, according to Reuters.
A Ukrainian diplomatic source told Reuters that Russia had made demands during the talks that were "far from reality and go beyond anything previously discussed."
The source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the talks, said they included ultimatums for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from some of their territory and "other non-starting and non-constructive conditions."
The Kremlin's chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, suggested after the talks that Russia could fight for as long as it needed to achieve its goals.
Citing the Tsar's military victories in the 21-year war against Sweden in the 18th century, he said Kiev was only deepening its own ruin by resisting Russia's demands for peace.
"Beginning of the journey"
The closest thing to a draft peace agreement that has yet to emerge are proposals released by the US and counter-proposals put forward by Europe and Ukraine at talks last month, which were obtained by Reuters.
On Saturday, a senior Ukrainian government source said Russia's latest demands in Istanbul include that Kiev drop its desire for reparations, international recognition of five parts of Ukraine as Russian, and that Ukraine become a neutral state.
The demands went further than the proposals of the US or Ukraine and Europe.
One of the senior Ukrainian officials who took part in the failed series of talks with Russia in 2022 that failed to stop all-out war told Reuters that the outcome of the renewed engagement in Istanbul went entirely as expected.
"Every journey begins with a single step. This is the beginning of the journey. Demands are always exaggerated at the beginning of any negotiations. It's classic," the source said.
The fragile outcome of the negotiations puts the ball back in Trump's court.
He abruptly changed course on Thursday, the day before the talks, saying he needed to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to make progress.
His remark has paid off - for now - with Europe hoping to encourage Washington to impose a new round of sanctions on Russia, according to Reuters.
If that were to happen, it would be a turning point in Trump's presidency, during which he has so far shown sympathy for Russia and torn up the pro-Ukrainian policies of his predecessor, Joseph Biden.
Last weekend, leaders of four major European powers traveled to Kiev, threatening Russia with additional sanctions if it does not agree to a 30-day ceasefire from May 12, a position they said the US supported.
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When Putin then proposed talks instead of a ceasefire, Trump told Zelensky in a social media post to agree immediately and did not mention the threat of sanctions against Russia.
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Zelensky, not wanting to alienate Trump, proposed direct talks with Putin.
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The Kremlin leader did not respond until he appointed a delegation that did not include him or any of his ministers.
"You don't send undertakers to a wedding," said Vladimir Pastukhov, a Russian political analyst, about Medinsky's nomination as head of the delegation, alluding to his role in the Russian delegation in the failed 2022 negotiations.
Following renewed talks in Istanbul, the leaders of the four European powers plus Zelensky spoke again with Trump to discuss how the peace talks had gone.
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And publicly, the Ukrainian team has again called for direct talks between Zelensky and Putin, arguing that only the Russian leader has the mandate to make decisions on many of the matters at stake.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said he thought he could make a "deal" with Putin, but that he would impose sanctions on Russia if "we don't want to make a deal."
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