Russia Reaffirms Harsh Ultimatum Demands in Ukraine Peace Talks Istanbul

During the second round of peace talks held in Istanbul, Russia presented Ukraine with a memorandum demanding significant territorial concessions, limits on the size of Ukraine's army, and recognition of Russian occupation of Ukrainian territories. Ukraine has rejected these conditions as tantamount to surrender, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicating he has not yet seen the document but has been informed of its ultimatum-style demands by partner intelligence services. The talks resulted in an agreement to exchange prisoners of war, including soldiers under 25 and severely wounded, and to return the bodies of approximately 12,000 dead soldiers, but no progress was made toward a full ceasefire. Russia dismissed Ukraine's demand for the return of abducted children, with Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky denying large-scale abductions and characterizing the claims as propaganda. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope for a future meeting involving Putin, Zelenskyy, and U.S. President Donald Trump to resolve issues, though Trump has warned the U.S. may withdraw from mediation efforts if no progress occurs. Both sides agreed to continue talks, but Kyiv maintains that only a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin can address the core disputes.