The peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have ended: lasting nearly 2 hours, with no results.

CAI News on May 16 (Editor Niuzhanlin): Local time on Friday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry and a senior Ukrainian official said that the trilateral talks between Turkey, Russia, and Ukraine have ended, with negotiations lasting nearly 2 hours. This is the first direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine in three years, and both sides issued a brief statement after the negotiations. Ukrainian Defense Minister Umerov said that the main focus of the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine was on three things - an immediate ceasefire, a prisoner exchange, and a possible meeting between the two country's leaders. Umerov mentioned that the two sides will soon conduct a prisoner exchange of 1,000 to 1,000; Ukraine has requested a direct meeting between Putin and Zelensky, and Russia has taken note of this proposal. According to Ukrainian officials, the Russian side made "unacceptable demands" requesting the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from large territories, among other demands that were beyond the scope of previous discussions. Since 2022, Russia and Ukraine have finally sat down for negotiations, but there are still significant differences on ending the war. Russia stated that it hopes to end the war through diplomacy and is prepared to discuss a ceasefire. However, it raised a series of issues and concerns, stating that Ukraine may use the ceasefire to allow its troops to rest, mobilize more troops, and acquire more Western weapons. The spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Tai Xi, posted a photo of the negotiating scene and said that in Istanbul, the Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Umerov sat with a low-level Russian delegation led by Putin's assistant Medinsky. Tai Xi stated that after the talks ended, President Zelensky called Trump and leaders of France, Germany, and Poland. Ukrainian parliament member Khereznyak stated that the Istanbul talks were fruitless. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged all parties to "seize this opportunity" at the opening ceremony of the meeting, adding that achieving a ceasefire quickly is crucial. In fact, it was widely expected that the meeting would not produce any results. Ukrainian President Zelensky bluntly stated on Friday that the Russian delegation that arrived in Istanbul was of a low level, with no one having real decision-making power in Russia, and Russia did not make serious efforts to end the war. Zelensky claimed that the top priority for both sides is to "achieve a comprehensive, unconditional ceasefire...stop the killing, and create a solid foundation for peace talks." He also added that if Russia refuses to cease fire, more severe sanctions should be imposed on its energy sector and banks. However, the head of the Russian delegation, Medinsky, stated that the Russian delegation has the approval of the Russian president and has the necessary authority and power to negotiate. He also expressed satisfaction with the results of the talks and is prepared to continue contacts. Russian presidential press secretary Peskov stated that the Russian negotiating team in Istanbul remains in close contact with President Putin and has all the necessary guidelines for negotiations. Military analysts stated that the Russian military is preparing for a new military offensive, and currently the two sides will not reach a consensus on any specific issues, as summer is the best time to start a war. This article is reproduced from CAI News, author: Niuzhanlin; Editor of GMTEight: mz