[Global Finance] Russia and Ukraine's second round of direct negotiations ended. What consensus did the two sides reach?

Source: Wall Street News

The second round of direct negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations on the peaceful settlement of the Russia-Ukraine conflict ended in Istanbul, Turkey on the 2nd.

The negotiations lasted about an hour and ended at around 4 p.m. local time. Medinsky, Assistant to the President of Russia and Head of the Russian Negotiation Delegation, issued a statement to the media, saying that Russia and Ukraine agreed to a cease - fire for two to three days in some front - line areas to exchange the remains of fallen soldiers, and the Ukrainian side promised to study and formulate a plan as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the Russian side announced that it would unilaterally hand over the remains of 6,000 fallen soldiers to the Ukrainian side next week.

Medinsky said that Russia and Ukraine would establish a medical commission for the regular exchange of seriously wounded soldiers. Seriously wounded soldiers would be exchanged on the principle of "all - for - all." In addition, the two sides would exchange captured soldiers under the age of 25, with at least 1,000 from each side, and the specific number is yet to be finalized. He also said that the Russian side handed over a "detailed" memorandum on conflict mediation to the Ukrainian side during the talks.

On June 2, after the second round of direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey, Medinsky (the first on the right), Assistant to the President of Russia and Head of the Russian Negotiation Delegation, announced the negotiation results to the media. Photo by Liu Lei, Xinhua News Agency reporter.

Umerov, Head of the Ukrainian Delegation and Minister of Defense, said after the meeting that the two sides reached an agreement on prisoner - of - war exchanges during the negotiations, planning to exchange all seriously ill prisoners of war and those under the age of 25. He said that the Russian and Ukrainian sides reached an agreement on humanitarian issues during the conflict, and the two sides would exchange wounded prisoners of war and the remains of fallen soldiers. The Russian delegation submitted a cease - fire memorandum document to the Ukrainian side on the same day, and the Ukrainian side would spend a week studying the document and coordinating further measures. The Russian side rejected the proposal for a 30 - day unconditional cease - fire during the talks.

According to the Ukrainian Interfax - Ukraine news agency on the 2nd, Umerov said in Istanbul on the same day that the Ukrainian side proposed to hold the next round of negotiations with the Russian side at the end of this month.

On June 2, after the second round of direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey, Umerov (in the middle), Minister of Defense of Ukraine, announced the negotiation results to the media. Photo by Liu Lei, Xinhua News Agency reporter.

The Russian and Ukrainian delegations resumed direct negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in Istanbul on May 16. The two sides reached an agreement on the exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war, but did not reach an agreement on core issues such as a cease - fire.

Turkish President Erdoğan said in Ankara on the 2nd that he proposed holding a summit involving the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and the United States for the peaceful settlement of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Erdoğan said in a speech after the cabinet meeting on the same day that his "greatest wish" was for Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky to meet in Istanbul or Ankara, Turkey. "I even want (former US President) Trump to come along."

Regarding the second round of direct negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul on the same day, Erdoğan said that the negotiations achieved "significant results." The number of prisoners of war to be exchanged between the two sides exceeded 1,000. In addition, the two sides would also exchange the remains of fallen soldiers, and the number of remains to be exchanged is very large.

Erdoğan said that since the first day of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Turkey's position has been clear. Turkey does not want to see conflict, fighting, war, and oppression in the region. Turkey is "sincerely working to establish a sustainable peace acceptable to both sides."

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