Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 03:11am on 18 May 2025,Sunday International
On May 17, 2025, during the first direct peace talks in over three years held in Istanbul, Russian negotiators demanded that Ukraine withdraw troops from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia as a condition for a ceasefire. Russia also sought international recognition of its control over these regions and Crimea, Ukrainian neutrality, and a mutual renunciation of war compensation claims. These terms, delivered verbally, were rejected by Ukraine as unrealistic. While a prisoner exchange was agreed upon, the talks ended without a ceasefire. U.S. President Trump plans follow-up calls with both leaders. (PC: Reuters)
