Umerov reports Zelensky on results of third Istanbul meeting: key agreements and prospects for diplomatic conflict resolution
Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine's delegation to negotiations with Russia and the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, officially briefed President Volodymyr Zelensky on the outcomes of the third round of talks held in Istanbul, Turkey.
According to Umerov, Ukraine has clearly outlined three main priorities, established at the highest state level.
The first is a full and unconditional ceasefire, which involves an immediate halt to all hostilities and strikes against civilian and critical infrastructure objects, marking a crucial step toward initiating substantive diplomacy.
The second priority is organizing a summit of Ukrainian and Russian leaders, involving the presidents of other countries, notably US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to seek pathways to peace.
Ukraine has proposed to hold this meeting before the end of August, considering important time frames agreed with partners.
The third priority is the continuation of the humanitarian track, including the return of all prisoners, particularly civilians and children, illegally taken to Russia.
Umerov emphasized that Ukraine is ready for a ceasefire today, highlighting that "technical mechanisms are known," but the main obstacle remains the lack of political will from the Kremlin.
He stated, "Peace is possible, but Moscow must change its approach.
They need to move from ultimatums to responsibility and from war to solutions." Background to this diplomatic process was the third round of peace negotiations in Istanbul on July 23.
Ukraine proposed holding a high-level meeting with Turkish and US leaders by the end of summer, asserting its commitment to diplomatic resolution.
Meanwhile, Russian delegate Vladimir Medinsky noted that Kyiv's and Moscow’s positions remain far apart, making compromise difficult.