Ukrainian and Russian delegates have begun the second round of peace talks in Istanbul, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said. According to the information, Kiev aims to discuss a ceasefire and the exchange of all prisoners, the Kiev Independent reported.

The talks, hosted by Turkish officials, follow the first round of negotiations on May 16. The initial meeting ended with an agreement on the largest prisoner exchange during the war, but without any tangible progress towards a peace agreement.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is leading Ukraine's 14-member delegation, which includes several figures from the country's military, human rights, and legal sectors who did not take part in the May 16 talks.

Before meeting with Russian officials, Umerov held a bilateral meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

The Russian delegates are led by presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky, who represented Moscow during the first unsuccessful peace talks in Istanbul in 2022 and again in May this year.

Russia has not officially presented its memorandum outlining the terms of peace, but Ukraine plans to present a detailed roadmap aimed at securing a lasting settlement.

The process will begin with a minimum 30-day ceasefire, followed by a full exchange of prisoners and the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russian-controlled areas, which will ultimately lead to a potential meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. | BGNES