Russia and Ukraine have fulfilled all the humanitarian agreements reached during the second round of talks in Istanbul last month, Moscow’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky announced on Wednesday.
Medinsky made the remarks to the press following the conclusion of the third round of direct peace negotiations with Ukraine in Türkiye.
Russia has offered to hand over 3,000 more bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers, Medinsky stated.
The remains will be returned via the Red Cross once Kiev confirms it is ready to receive them, he added.
Medinsky also said Moscow had proposed a new prisoner swap involving at least 1,200 POWs from each side.
In addition, Russia suggested holding ceasefires lasting 24 or 48 hours to allow for the evacuation of wounded troops and the recovery of bodies from the battlefield.
According to Medinsky, Moscow has invited Ukraine to set up three online working groups – covering political, humanitarian, and military matters – to continue discussions. Kiev agreed to consider Russia’s proposal about the working groups, he added.
The top Russian negotiator also said that Moscow has reviewed the full list of 339 Ukrainian children provided by Kiev, adding that some have already been returned while many had never been on Russian territory.
Since the escalation of the conflict in 2022, Moscow has evacuated children from the combat zone and relocated them to safety until they could be reunited with their families. Work is ongoing on the issue, according to Medinsky.
“If their parents, relatives or legal representatives are found, they will go home,” he said, stressing: “Children are sacred to us.”
The delegations exchanged positions outlined in their respective memorandums, but the two sides remain deeply divided on key issues, Medinsky said. Despite the differences, the dialogue will continue, he added, noting that Moscow hopes a fourth round of talks will go ahead.
Asked about the prospects of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, Medinsky said it was too early to discuss the matter. Such a meeting would require an ironed-out peace deal and would only finalize the agreement rather than be a stage for negotiations, Russia’s chief negotiator stressed.
