Before the start of the international negotiations in Istanbul, Russian and Ukrainian representatives held a personal meeting, which became an important stage in the process of diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict
According to Russian media, the heads of the delegations — Vladimir Medinsky and Rustem Umerov — discussed key issues of the upcoming negotiations in an informal setting for more than two hours. Details of this meeting were published by the Russian state news agency TASS, citing Medinsky, who noted that this conversation "played an important role in preparing for the general negotiation session," which was scheduled to take place later. Prior to this, on May 16, the delegations also held a brief meeting lasting just over an hour. This was the second meeting since the beginning of contact between the sides. It is worth noting that on the eve of the negotiations, the Ukrainian and Russian delegations also had separate consultations with European partners — representatives of Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The main goal of these meetings was to reach a consensus on further steps and to organize positions within the diplomatic dialogue process. The negotiation process in Istanbul concluded with an agreement on the next large-scale exchange of prisoners of war, including the return of "all for all" — both those seriously wounded and young fighters. This is one of the key points on the negotiation agenda, as exchanges have long been a vital element of diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and preserve human lives. On the evening of June 2, Russian state agencies published the text of a "Memorandum on Resolution," which outlines proposals for ending hostilities. The document contains ideas regarding Ukraine's neutral status, the conduct of local elections, and the withdrawal of troops from four occupied regions. These proposals caused wide resonance in international circles, as they may determine the further dynamics of the conflict and prospects for diplomatic settlement in the coming months. Thus, despite the tense nature of the negotiation process, personal meetings at the highest level demonstrate the parties' desire to reach compromises and contribute constructively to resolving the situation. The main focus now is on the possible implementation of coordinated efforts to achieve lasting peace and address the conflict issues that have arisen between us over the past years.