Russia and Ukraine Hold Direct Talks for First Time in Over 3 Years
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Russia and Ukraine Hold Direct Talks for First Time in Over 3 Years
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Leaders from Russia and Ukraine met Friday in Istanbul for the first direct talks since March 2022.
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The talks lasted less than two hours, and while no clear results toward peace were reached, the two nations did agree to a large prisoner swap.
In an equal exchange, 1,000 prisoners of war will be exchanged on each side, according to Vladimir Medinsky, a top Kremlin aide.
Medinsky acknowledged that Ukraine has requested direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian leadership but did not confirm if Russian President Vladimir Putin would agree to such a request. Medinsky added that each delegation did agree for each side to present a ceasefire plan in detail and that talks will continue.
📹 FULL VIDEO: Russian Delegation Head Vladimir Medinsky’s statement after Russia-Ukraine-Turkiye talks in Istanbul https://t.co/dUXtaj2Xi2 pic.twitter.com/hVSBh3aN6d
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) May 16, 2025
A source with knowledge of the talks told CNN that Russia is “not ready to decide anything meaningful to end the war.”
Putin proposed the direct peace talks but chose not to attend the meeting in Istanbul. President Donald Trump encouraged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet with Putin after the Russian leader suggested the talks and Zelenskyy flew to Turkey, but ultimately did not attend the meeting.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov led the Ukrainian delegation and Medinsky led the Russian delegation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was present for the talks but acknowledged beforehand that he did not expect a breakthrough without key leaders in the room.
“We’ll see what happens with Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said Friday after arriving in the United Arab Emirates, adding, “we gotta stop the killing.”
Trump says he will meet with Putin “as soon as we can set it up.” The president said he was going to go directly from the UAE to Russia but wants to see his new grandson, Alexander Trump Boulos, born to Tiffany Trump and her husband, Michael Boulos, Thursday.
Pope Leo XIV has offered to mediate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in hopes of bringing the current conflict that began more than three years ago to an end.
“The pope plans to make the Vatican, the Holy See, available for a direct meeting between the two sides,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a top diplomat for the government of the Catholic Church, told reporters Friday.
“This is all tragic because we hoped that it would be a, maybe slow, process, but with a peaceful solution to the conflict, and instead we are back at the beginning,” Parolin said. “Now we will see what to do, but the situation is difficult.”
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This article was originally published at The Daily Signal. Used with permission. Photo Credit: Max Kukurudziak on Unsplash.
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Father God, may your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Psalm 119:89 LORD, Your word is forever; it is firmly fixed in heaven.
Proverb 16:7 The heart of man plans his course, but Adonai directs his steps.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
Dear Heavenly Father, You are altogether righteous and even though we make plans, it is Your decision that will prevail. I pray as these men meet, they will feel Your presence in a deeply profound way. I pray You will direct their every word. Doubters doubt and mockers mock but Your Word will not change! Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. May it also stand firm in these talks for Your glory and the good of Ukraine and Russia. You are God of the impossible, thank you Father. I ask this and so much more in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Peace.
Once again Trump failed to keep his word to mediate a serious just end to this war, after so much boasting and blaming everyone else.
Trump shamefully orders President Zelensky to come to Turkey under threat of losing aid then allows Putin and himself to skip this meeting without consequences. And once again strangely blames and threatens Zelensky and Ukraine for not stopping this war?? Someone needs to tell him it is Putin and Russia invading Ukraine killing stealing and destroying! If he hasn’t figured that out yet. Putin can end the war any minute he wants!!
Ukraine fighting for their lives cannot!
Again Putin shows Trump no respect with Trump blind to his own absurd admiration of Putin, saying “nothing is going to happen unless I meet with Putin”. WOW so the killing of Ukrainians can just continue until Trump feels like arranging a meeting with the imperialist dictator?
Saying one thing doing the opposite! 24 hours one day no timeline the next than more demands than no timeline again and again.
But keep blaming Ukraine and everyone else.
Nuts
So far Trump’s strange and senseless appeasement of perpetrator (Putin and Russia) and personal animosity and accusations towards the defending nation (Zelensky and Ukraine) have been a tragic failure all around.
May God change President Trumps heart and give him and his advisers wisdom to work for a righteous and just and lasting peace and the end to Putin and Russia’s imperialist killing regime.
Oh oh – another TDS know it all. Calm down if possible my boy.
Top Shelf: Tell that to the millions of Ukrainians terrorized, left homeless, disabled, fatherless, childless or dead by Putin and Russia’s unjust evil invasion. If you care (seems unlikely from your reply) we need to fervently pray for President Donald Trump and his advisers that God will change his heart towards truth and justice and toward Ukraine, t
And use the power given him to bring a just end to this unjust war.
Father in heaven please move the heart of President Trump and his advisers to speak what is true just and right in your eyes. Give him wisdom and a tongue that speaks truth to bring and swift and just end to this war, We ask this in the mighty name of Your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen