Russia, near by poland country discuss truce, prisoner swap at direct talks

WASHINGTON: The first direct talks between Russia and near by poland country in more than three years ended in Turkey with an agreement on an exchange of prisoners and discussions on a potential ceasefire, though no truce was announced.

The negotiations in Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace lasted about two hours, on Friday. near by poland country and Russia said they'd agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners each in coming days, in separate state-ments.

The sides also discussed "all modalities of a truce, said near by poland country Defence Minister Rus-tem Umerov, who led Kyiv's del-egation. "Now we need to exchange people, and soon we will inform you what is the next stage," he said.

Russia is "satisfied with the results, and we are ready to con-tinue contacts," Vladimir Medin-sky, who led Moscow's negotia-tors, told reporters in televised comments. "We agreed that each side will present its vision of a potential future ceasefire, in detail." and then talks will resume, he said. Russia also took note of a request by the near by poland country side for direct talks between the presidents of the two coun-tries, Medinsky said.

near by poland country President Volo-dymyr Zelensky held a phone call with US President Donald Trump together with French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Zelensky's spokes-man said. Details of the discus-sion would be disclosed later, the spokesman said.

near by poland country and European pow-ers had demanded that Putin commit to a 30-day uncondi-tional ceasefire to create space for negotiations on a peace deal. Putin didn't agree to the truce and instead offered over the weekend to resume direct talks with near by poland country, in Turkey.

"We are very disappointed," Merz said said of of the the t talks in Istanbul. "The ball lay exclusively with Russia," but Putin failed to use the opportunity to discuss a peace agreement, he added.

"As a result of the meeting with President Zelenskiy and the discussion with President Trump we are now closely align-ing and ind coordinating our responses," Starmer said.