Istanbul Talks Between Russia and Ukraine: What Was Discussed and What Came Out of Them

By the Frontline Diplomacy Editorial Team. This Mediation File is kept as an evergreen page and revised as developments occur; the update date at the top of the page shows the latest revision.

The Brief

The Istanbul talks are the direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine hosted in Türkiye: one round on 29 March 2022 and three rounds in May, June and July 2025. They did not end the war or produce a ceasefire, but the 2025 meetings led to the largest prisoner exchanges of the conflict and to agreements on returning the bodies of fallen soldiers. They matter because Istanbul is the only place where the two governments have sat at the same table in a publicly acknowledged, hosted format since 2022.

Where Things Stand

No comprehensive agreement has come out of Istanbul, and the political questions that blocked the 2022 round remain the ones that block progress today. The last Istanbul meeting covered in this file took place on 23 July 2025. Since then, much of the visible diplomacy has moved through other channels and formats, including contacts led or encouraged by the United States, so readers should check current reporting for the latest status.

What has endured is the humanitarian channel. Exchanges of prisoners and the return of remains have continued to be negotiated separately from the political track. For how that works in practice, see How Prisoner Exchanges Between Russia and Ukraine Are Negotiated. Türkiye has repeatedly said it remains ready to host further meetings, including at leaders' level.

The Table

In Istanbul, the parties negotiate directly, with Türkiye as host and facilitator rather than as a party to the terms. The table below summarises each side's publicly stated positions; these are positions as presented by the parties, not a neutral finding.

Red lines in plain terms

• Ukraine: no formal recognition of territorial changes by force, and no limits that would leave it unable to defend itself.
• Russia: no NATO membership for Ukraine, and a settlement that reflects what it calls the root causes of the conflict.

These positions are drawn from official statements by each side. Where they collide, as on territory and security, the talks have stalled.

Timeline

• 28 February 2022: First Russia–Ukraine talks begin in Belarus, days after the invasion; several further rounds follow, some by video.
• 10 March 2022: The Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers, Sergey Lavrov and Dmytro Kuleba, meet in Antalya with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. No ceasefire results.
• 29 March 2022: Delegations meet at Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul. Ukraine presents a framework built on neutrality, security guarantees from a group of states, and a long consultation period on Crimea. Russia says it will sharply reduce military activity around Kyiv and Chernihiv.
• Early April 2022: Russian forces withdraw from the Kyiv area. Reports from Bucha spark international condemnation, and Ukraine's willingness to continue on the same terms weakens. The 2022 negotiating track fades.
• 22 July 2022: Separate from the political talks, the UN, Türkiye, Russia and Ukraine sign the grain arrangements in Istanbul. See Black Sea Grain Initiative Explained: How the Deal Worked and Why It Ended.
• 11 May 2025: President Putin proposes direct talks in Istanbul without preconditions. Ukraine responds by pressing for a ceasefire first.
• 16 May 2025: First 2025 round at Dolmabahçe Palace, hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The sides agree on a large prisoner exchange, carried out in the following days.
• 2 June 2025: Second round at Çırağan Palace. The sides exchange written memoranda setting out their conditions, and agree on further exchanges, including of severely wounded and young prisoners, and on returning bodies.
• 23 July 2025: Third round, short in duration. The sides agree on additional exchanges. Ukraine proposes a leaders-level meeting; no date is set and no ceasefire is agreed.

Did the Talks Produce Results?

The answer depends on what is being measured.

• Political settlement: No. Neither round produced a ceasefire, a framework signed by both sides, or a leaders' meeting.
• Humanitarian outcomes: Yes. The 2025 rounds led to large exchanges of prisoners and agreements on returning remains. These are confidence-building steps, but they have not changed the political positions of either side.
• Process value: The meetings showed that a direct channel exists and can be activated quickly. That has value, but it is not a substitute for agreement on the central issues. For how ceasefires are normally structured and why they fail, see How Ceasefire Agreements Work: Key Clauses, Monitoring and Why They Break Down.

What to Watch

• Format: whether new rounds are held in Istanbul or move to another venue or another set of mediators.
• Leaders' meeting: whether a Putin–Zelensky meeting, which Türkiye has offered to host, is ever scheduled.
• Ceasefire sequencing: whether the parties move beyond the dispute over whether a ceasefire should come before or after agreement on political terms.
• Humanitarian track: continued exchanges of prisoners and remains, which are the most reliable indicator that the channel still functions.
• Third-party roles: how the roles of the United States, Türkiye and other intermediaries evolve.

Upcoming dates are listed in our Diplomatic Calendar when announced; we do not list unconfirmed meetings.

Source Comparison

The same events are described very differently depending on the source.

• Russian officials (the Kremlin, the Foreign Ministry, Medinsky) present Istanbul as a chance to address root causes of the conflict and say that the 2022 process was undermined by Ukraine's change of course under outside pressure. In 2025 they stress that memoranda were exchanged and that Russia was ready to continue contacts.
• Ukrainian officials (the President's Office, Umerov) say that Russia's terms amount to demands for capitulation, point to Bucha as a turning point in 2022, and describe the 2025 talks as showing that Moscow was not ready for a ceasefire, while valuing the humanitarian results.
• Turkish officials (the Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) frame Istanbul as evidence that dialogue is possible, emphasise Türkiye's readiness to host at any level, and call for a ceasefire and a lasting settlement.
• Western and international media (for example Reuters, the Associated Press and the BBC) generally describe the 2025 talks as producing humanitarian but not political results. Some outlets have reported on draft documents from 2022, but the drafts were not signed and their interpretation remains disputed.

When reading any account, check who is quoted, which side's document is cited, and whether the text was actually agreed or only proposed.

Perspective Note

Frontline Diplomacy covers international diplomacy with a dedicated perspective from Türkiye. Sections marked 'Türkiye's Role' reflect official Turkish policy as stated by Turkish government sources. For our approach, see About Frontline Diplomacy.

Cross-Publication Dossiers & Sister Desk Perspectives

For complementary primary-source analysis across our specialist editorial network, consult:

• Borders & Blocs: Türkiye's Mediation in the Russia–Ukraine War and the Black Sea Grain Initiative — Türkiye mediation in the Russia–Ukraine war explained: Antalya and Istanbul talks, Black Sea Grain Initiative, prisoner swaps, why it ended and its limits.
• Crossroads Review: Türkiye's Mediation in the Russia–Ukraine War and the Black Sea Grain Initiative — Türkiye mediation Russia Ukraine Black Sea Grain Initiative explained: Antalya and Istanbul talks, the UN-brokered grain deal and why it ended.
• Diplomacy Arena: Montreux Convention, the Black Sea and Türkiye's Russia–Ukraine Mediation — Montreux Convention Black Sea Russia Ukraine explained: how Article 19 works, Türkiye's 2022 implementation, Istanbul talks, grain deal and prisoner swaps.