Russia has agreed to exchange more prisoners with Ukraine, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, US President Donald Trump, and other leaders to negotiate an end to the war. The proposal comes as recent talks in Istanbul made little progress toward a ceasefire agreement.
Ukrainian delegation head Rustem Umerov said he proposed a meeting by the end of August, but Russian delegation leader Vladimir Medinsky echoed earlier Kremlin statements that Russia and Ukraine need to make substantial progress before Putin and Zelenskyy can meet. The two countries have exchanged military prisoners of war, including civilian detainees for the first time.
US President Trump has threatened harsh economic penalties on Moscow if it fails to agree to a deal by early September. However, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce suggested that timeframe depends on how Trump sees peace efforts unfolding. Kremlin officials have reacted cautiously to Trump’s pressure, aware that his frustrations with Russia may be aimed back at Ukraine tomorrow.
Analysts suggest the Kremlin has little appetite to antagonize Trump and are aware of his style, which not everything he says will be implemented. The prevailing view among Russia’s political elite is that US support for Ukraine will not reach its earlier level, which cannot seriously change the equation on the battlefield.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/07/23/nx-s1-5477282/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-istanbul-trump-zelenskyy-putin