On June 2, 2025, Russian and Ukrainian delegations convened in Istanbul for a brief yet significant round of peace negotiations—their second direct meeting since March 2022. The discussions, lasting just under an hour, culminated in agreements on key humanitarian initiatives, including the exchange of prisoners of war and the repatriation of 12,000 fallen soldiers, with each side returning 6,000 bodies. 

The two nations also consented to a new prisoner swap, focusing on severely wounded individuals and young captives. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who hosted the talks, lauded the meeting and proposed a future summit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Despite these developments, substantial differences persist. Russia has presented a detailed ceasefire proposal and suggested temporary ceasefires in specific combat zones to facilitate the recovery of bodies. Conversely, Ukraine maintains that only a high-level meeting can address broader issues and has reiterated its demand for the return of children it claims were deported to Russia.

The backdrop to these talks includes recent escalations, notably Ukraine's drone strikes on Russian military targets. Russia continues to insist that Ukraine abandon its NATO aspirations and withdraw from Russian-claimed regions, while Ukraine's counterproposal demands no limitations on its military capabilities, no recognition of Russian territorial claims, and reparations.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, the conflict has resulted in over 1.2 million casualties, underscoring the urgency of finding a comprehensive resolution.