Russia-Ukraine peace talks conclude in Istanbul: What the two nations agreed on

The second round of talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations on Monday (Jun 2) has concluded in Istanbul, according to Russian state media. The negotiations lasted for an hour.

Following the talks, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Oncu Keceli, said, “The meeting is over. It didn't end negatively.”

Russia, Ukraine agree to prisoner swap

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to exchange 6,000 bodies of soldiers killed in the war, said Kyiv negotiator following the talks. The two nations also agreed to exchange prisoners of war who are severely wounded and those under the age of 25.

“We agreed to exchange all-for-all seriously wounded and seriously sick prisoners of war. The second category is young soldiers who are from 18 to 25 years old -- all-for-all. Also, we agreed to return 6,000 to 6,000 bodies of fallen soldiers,” Ukraine's lead negotiator and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov told reporters in Istanbul.

Ukraine calls for return of ‘deported’ Ukrainian children

The Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said that Ukrainian delegates have given Russian negotiators a list of hundreds of Ukrainian children “illegally deported” by Russia, demanding their return.

“Today during talks in Istanbul, the Ukrainian side officially gave the Russian side a list of Ukrainian children that need to be returned,” said Yermak following the talks on Monday (Jun 2).

“We are talking about hundreds of children that Russia has illegally deported, forcibly transferred or kept in temporarily occupied territories,” he added.

Russia rejects unconditional ceasefire, proposes partial truce of 2-3 days

Kyiv negotiator, Sergiy Kyslytsya, said that Russia rejected an unconditional ceasefire with Ukraine during the peace talks.

“The Russian side continued to reject the motion of an unconditional ceasefire,” Kyslytsya said.

However, Russia's top negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, said that Moscow has proposed a partial ceasefire of “two to three days”.

“We have proposed a specific ceasefire for two to three days in certain areas of the front line,” Medinsky said, “so that commanders can collect the bodies of their soldiers.”

‘Aggressor must not receive any reward’

Speaking to reporters in Vilnius at a summit of several NATO countries, Zelensky said, “The key to lasting peace is clear, the aggressor must not receive any reward for war.”

“Putin must get nothing that would justify his aggression,” he added.