18:41. A briefing on the results of the talks has just concluded. The main results:
- there is an agreement to exchange prisoners in the format of 1000 for 1000
- the next step in the negotiations could be a meeting between the Ukrainian president and the Russian leader
- Russia did indeed put forward demands that were unacceptable to Ukraine, but the delegation stood its ground and brought the negotiations back to the direction it wanted
- there is an agreement to continue contacts.
18:35. Umerov, Kyslytsya and Skibitskyy briefly address the press, with the Foreign Ministry spokesperson taking questions.
Umerov believes that the next step will be a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tykhyy acknowledged that Russia had made unacceptable demands during the talks, but Ukraine had not changed its position.
18:14. According to Sky News, the threat to ‘seize’ Sumy and Kharkiv regions was not the only one. Russia also threatened Ukraine with an ‘endless war’.
It should be noted that Russia has been trying to occupy Kharkiv and Sumy regions since the beginning of the full-scale war.
In addition, according to Suspilne, Russia wants Ukraine to recognise Crimea as ‘Russian’.
18:00. We are expecting a briefing from First Deputy Foreign Minister Kyslytsya, who participated in the talks.
17:51. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says that during the talks, Ukraine and Russia agreed to hold a new meeting, exchange prisoners 1000 for 1000 and set out in writing a vision of peace, which they will then present to each other.
Bugün, dünya barışı için önemli bir gündü.
— Hakan Fidan (@HakanFidan) May 16, 2025
Yoğun diplomatik çabalar sonucunda, Rusya ve Ukrayna heyetleri İstanbul’da, Türkiye’nin kolaylaştırıcılığında bir görüşme gerçekleştirdiler.
Toplantının neticesinde, güven artırıcı bir önlem olarak her iki ülkeden biner kişinin… pic.twitter.com/7QFnMxjJqE
17:45. After the first results of the talks were announced, namely the absence of Russia's agreement to an unconditional ceasefire, European leaders began to issue statements in support of Ukraine and promises to continue to put pressure on the aggressor.
‘Together with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, we agreed that Russia had a good opportunity to take part in the negotiations on a peace agreement with a preliminary ceasefire this week. We are very disappointed that this did not happen,’ wrote German Chancellor Merz, who met with other leaders of the “coalition of the willing” and the Ukrainian president in Albania today.
Gemeinsam mit @ZelenskyyUa sind wir uns einig, dass Russland eine gute Gelegenheit gehabt hätte, in dieser Woche erste Gespräche über ein Friedensabkommen mit einem vorangegangenen Waffenstillstandsabkommen zu führen. Wir sind sehr enttäuscht, dass dies nicht stattgefunden hat. pic.twitter.com/RplNhtinfa
— Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (@bundeskanzler) May 16, 2025
‘Ursula von der Leyen and I stand firmly with you, President Zelenskyy. Our immediate priority is a comprehensive and unconditional ceasefire,’ said European Council President Antonio Costa.
.@vonderleyen and I stand firmly with you, President @ZelenskyyUa.
— António Costa (@eucopresident) May 16, 2025
Our immediate priority is a comprehensive and unconditional ceasefire.
That’s why we’re further ramping up pressure to bring Putin to the negotiating table.
We’re putting hard-biting sanctions on Russia,… pic.twitter.com/75xVED1h1i
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also criticised Putin for his frivolous approach.
17:11. The Economist reporter Oliver Carroll, citing a ‘well-placed source’, reports in X that during the talks Russia allegedly threatened to seize Kharkiv and Sumy regions. According to him, Russia said that it would agree to a ceasefire if Ukraine withdrew its troops from the four temporarily occupied territories. It also threatened to seize two more: Kharkiv and Sumy.
16:46. Volodymyr Zelenskyy provided details of the conversation with Donald Trump that he had during his visit to Albania together with Emmanuel Macron, Kier Starmer, Friedrich Merz, and Donald Tusk.
‘Ukraine is ready to take the fastest possible steps for the sake of real peace, and it is important that the world maintains a strong position. Our position is that if the Russians refuse to implement a full and unconditional ceasefire and killings, there must be strong sanctions. The pressure on Russia must be maintained until Russia is ready to end the war. I thank everyone in the world who is helping,’ he said.
16:41. The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said during his press conference that they had ‘taken note’ of Zelenskyy's desire to have a direct meeting with the Kremlin leader. According to him, the 1000-for-1000 prisoner exchange will take place soon. He claims that there is an agreement for both Ukraine and Russia to spell out their vision of a ceasefire in detail.
16:34. The spokesman for the Ukrainian president says that Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the British prime minister, the Polish prime minister and the French president had a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump. It took place during the leaders' stay at the summit in Albania.
Trump, who did not go to Turkey yesterday and attributed this decision to Putin's absence, returned to the United States after a tour of the Middle East, where his grandson was born.
16:30. Defence Minister Rustem Umerov names the topics discussed with the Russians: a complete ceasefire, a 1000-for-1000 prisoner exchange, and a potential meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. Umerov is scheduled to hold a press conference at 18:00, so it is likely that after the pause in the talks, there will be no resumption of negotiations, at least for now.
15:41. Suspilne reports that the negotiations have paused.
15:20. The meeting between Ukraine, Russia and Turkey ended a few minutes ago. According to Sky News, the Russians demanded the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops to start the ceasefire.
15:11. Suspilne, citing a source in the delegation, reports that Ukrainian representatives are communicating with the Russians through an interpreter.
14:49. Meanwhile, Umerov's Facebook page summarises the results of the trilateral meeting with the US and Turkey.
‘All parties clearly stressed that the war must end in a sustainable and just peace. A complete and unconditional ceasefire is the basis for effective diplomacy. We also discussed humanitarian issues, including the release of Ukrainian prisoners and the return of our children. This is a priority,’ Umerov said.
13:43. The meeting between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul has begun. The head of the presidential office, Andriy Yermak, stressed that these talks are not a continuation of those held three years ago.
"Russians want to build associations with 2022. But all that connects the talks to this is the city of Istanbul. And nothing else. All Russian attempts to link today to 2022 will not work," he said.
13:27. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio holds separate talks in Istanbul on Ukraine and Iran with representatives of the UK, France and Germany, ZN reports, citing Reuters.
13:05. Before the meeting with the Ukrainian delegation, Russian group head Vladimir Medinskiy will meet with a representative of the US State Department, BBC reports. Earlier, the media reported that Russia demanded that there should be no intermediaries in the negotiations with Ukraine.
13:04. The head of the delegation, Rustem Umerov, has named the conditions for peace: a complete ceasefire for at least 30 days, the exchange of all for all, and the return of forcibly deported children.
12:01. The trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the US and Turkey has ended, a Suspilne correspondent reports.
11:31. Andriy Yermak says that Ukraine has agreed on positions with representatives of the US, France, Germany and the UK at a meeting in Istanbul. The meeting took place before Ukraine sits down to negotiate with Turkey.
10:48. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces the start of a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the US and Turkey. The US side is represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the Ukrainian side by the Minister of Defence and the head of the Presidential Office.
10:23. The Ukrainian delegation has arrived at the palace, where talks with Russia will take place, reports a Suspilne correspondent.
10:21. According to Suspilne, on Friday morning, prior to the meeting with the Russian delegation, Presidential Administration Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov met in Istanbul with national security advisers from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as US Special Representative Keith Kellogg.
9:26. A trilateral meeting between Turkey, the United States and Ukraine is scheduled for 10:45 a.m. A meeting in the Turkey–Ukraine–Russia format is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. According to Anadolu, there will be no talks between the United States and Russia today. At the same time, Sky News reports that the US State Department has announced that Michael Anton will take part in a conversation with the Russian delegation.
16 May, 8:10. The Russian side states that they expect to begin talks with the Ukrainian delegation at 10 a.m. today.
21:40. A decision regarding a potential meeting with the Russian delegation will be made after the arrival of the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul.
21:20. The President has approved the composition of the delegation for talks with representatives of the United States, Turkey and Russia on 15–16 May:
- Rustem Umerov – Minister of Defence of Ukraine, head of the delegation
- Kyslytsya Serhiy Olegovich – First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, member of the delegation
- Oleksandr Valentynovych Poklad – Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, member of the delegation
- Oleh Luhovskyy – First Deputy Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, member of the delegation
- Oleksiy Mykolayovych Shevchenko – Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, member of the delegation
- Skibitskyy Vadym Vasylovych – Deputy Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, member of the delegation
- Yevhen Mykhaylovych Shynkaryov – Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, member of the delegation
- Oleksandr Ivanovych Dyakov – Deputy Chief of Staff of the Naval Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, member of the delegation
- Malovatskyy Oleksiy Volodymyrovych – Head of the Department of International and Operational Law of the Central Legal Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, member of the delegation
- Sherikhov Oleksandr Ihorovych – Senior Officer of the Main Operational Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, member of the delegation
- Kuzmychov Heorhiy Yuriyovych – Protocol Officer of the Service Support Staff of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, member of the delegation
- Oleksandr Bevz – Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, member of the delegation
20:30. There is no official information from Ukraine regarding the timing of the talks. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, currently in Turkey for the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Summit, stated that talks between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by the Turkish and American sides, will take place tomorrow. He is also expected to meet with Ukrainian representatives and the Turkish Foreign Minister.
Rubio expressed low expectations regarding the talks with the Russian side, suggesting that real progress in negotiations will only be possible following a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
20:07. Sources from Suspilne reported that the President of Ukraine has departed Turkey and is en route to Albania. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian delegation of negotiators, led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, is heading to Istanbul.
19:44. The British Defence Secretary has called for increased pressure on President Putin in response to the delays in initiating presidential-level negotiations.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that Turkey is prepared to provide a platform for direct talks between Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy when both sides are ready.
It remains unclear whether the Ukrainian and Russian delegations will meet today or tomorrow. The Russian side is currently in Istanbul, and the head of their delegation has already held a brief press appearance. He stated, in particular, that Russia considers the current negotiations a continuation of those held in 2022. At that time, Moscow demanded that Ukraine disarm and relinquish control of the occupied territories.
17:38. The meeting with Russians in Istanbul may take place either today or tomorrow. Not only Ukraine but also Turkey is sending a delegation, Zelenskyy said.
17:27. Ukraine and the US are in contact now, but Zelenskyy has not spoken to President Trump.
He added that he expects Russia to demonstrate a willingness to cease fire, even if it is without a meeting. At least at the same level as on Easter, when Russia did not stop, but reduced the number of strikes.
Zelenskyy believes that Putin has offered negotiations to avoid new restrictive measures.
17:22. Ukraine will not miss the opportunity to negotiate a ceasefire, so it is sending its representatives to Istanbul to meet with Russians. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this at a briefing in Ankara. But he is also ready for a direct meeting with the Russian leader.
‘I believe that all parties should demonstrate their readiness for negotiations. I believe that the first step should be an unconditional ceasefire. If an unconditional ceasefire can be done today at the level of technical groups, without leaders, there are no questions, we don't need to meet. As we have heard, an unconditional ceasefire - such things should be resolved in direct talks between the leaders - I am here. We are ready for direct talks,’ Zelenskyy said.
17:06. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has decided to send a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul, despite the low level of the Russian delegation. He made this decision out of respect for the American and Turkish sides. The delegation will be headed by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, and the topic of conversation will be a ceasefire.
16:22. The meeting between the Turkish and Ukrainian presidents has ended, Anadolu Agency reports. It lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes and was closed to the press.
Turkish Minister of National Defence Yashar Güler, head of the National Intelligence Service Ibrahim Malin, and presidential foreign policy adviser Akif Çagatay Kilic were present.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Foreign Minister believes that both Ukraine and Russia should compromise.
15:33. A diplomatic source tells Reuters that Ukraine is still considering whom to delegate to negotiate with the Russians, the Guardian reports.
15:27. US President Donald Trump believes that in order to succeed in peace talks, he needs to meet with Putin. He said this on board a plane during a tour of the Middle East, Sky News reports.
According to Trump, "nothing will happen until I meet with Putin". He did not specify whether he was going to meet.
Earlier, he said that he was not surprised by Putin's absence in Turkey, where Russian-Ukrainian talks were supposed to take place. In the US president's view, Putin's visit depended on whether he would go.
14:52. European diplomats have accused Putin of dragging out the war. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that by sending low-level delegates, the Kremlin is trying to "buy time," Bloomberg reports.
13:35. A meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has begun, Anadolu Agency reports.
12:36. The President's Office announced the purpose of the visit – to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and determine further diplomatic steps of Ukraine for the sake of a full and unconditional ceasefire, achieving sustainable peace and ensuring security.
"Together with the President of Ukraine, there is a high-level delegation in Turkey that can prepare the necessary decisions. We note that Russia has sent a delegation to Turkey, unfortunately, of a rather low level with an unclear mandate. We will inform you about Ukraine's respective steps. We continue to consult with our partners," the OP said.
12:23. The plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has landed in Turkey. He was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, representatives of the Presidential Office and all intelligence agencies.
Zelenskyy will decide whether and in what format the talks with Russia will take place in Istanbul after he meets with his Turkish counterpart.
"I don't know the level of the Russians officially, but from what we see, it looks more like a the prop level," the president said.
12:03. Putin's spokesman Peskov says Putin will definitely not go to the talks.
12:00. Putin is hiding from the meeting and is afraid, sending low-level people. Ukraine's president will meet with his Turkish counterpart, who plays an important mediating role in the peace efforts. In the process, the next steps will become clear, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hryhoriy Tykhyy.
11:55. Russians claim that at the initiative of the Turkish side, talks with Ukraine have been postponed to the afternoon. This was reported by Kremlin resources.
11:12. According to Suspilne, in addition to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, Presidential Administration Chief Andriy Yermak, and Deputy Heads of the Presidential Administration Ihor Zhovkva and Ihor Brusylo will be in Turkey today. It is not known whether they will participate in the meeting with the Russians.
10:58. The start time of the talks remains uncertain, Anadolu Agency reports.
10:37. US President Donald Trump has said that he could attend the talks between Ukraine and Russia in Turkey tomorrow, 16 May, if it is appropriate.
According to journalists, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will decide on the talks with the Russians after he meets with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio – currently visiting Turkey to attend a meeting of NATO foreign ministers – stated that the US wants to see progress in the peace process over the coming days. Turkish officials said that special representatives Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg would also be in Turkey, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The composition of the Ukrainian delegation has not been officially announced.
9:45. According to The Wall Street Journal, Ukraine is ready to talk to Russian negotiators on only one topic – a 30-day ceasefire.
The Turkish Anadolu Agency, citing the Russian TASS news agency, reported on the arrival of the Russian delegation on Thursday morning. It is headed by Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinskiy.
It also includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Chief of the General Staff Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defence Minister Aleksandr Fomin.
9:24. The head of the NSDC’s Centre for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, denies Russian reports that talks between Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. today in Turkey. He suggested that by announcing an incorrect early time for the talks, Russia aims to manipulate the topic. Its propagandists have already begun claiming that Ukraine does not need the talks.