(opinion article)

June 2, 2025, Istambul. The second round of the negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations about the one-month ceasefire on the frontiers of the Russian-Ukrainian war has just started. The Ukrainian delegation is headed by Rustem Umerov, the Defense Minister of Ukraine. The Russian delegation is led by Vladimir Medinsky, an Aide to Vladimir Putin. 

The key points of the negotiations don’t differ a lot from the first round of negotiations. They relate to a complete and unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air and at sea, for at least 30 days; monitoring of the ceasefire by third countries; confidence-building measures, including humanitarian issues; preparation for future high-rank talks on the main war challenges.

Many world, European and Ukrainian mass media skeptics don`t predict any progress during the second-round talks, putting in doubt the very idea of negotiations.  The positions of the Ukrainian and Russian sides are too far away from each other: an ultimatum from the Russian Federation, which has hardly changed since the beginning of the war in February 2022; the position of Ukraine, not planning to make any territorial concessions. I guess that, at least partly, these analysts are right; these negotiations look like diplomatic games for the sake of…diplomatic games. A kind of political theater for… American administration.

However, there is a SENSE in these talks – thousands of Ukrainian mothers, daughters and wives are looking with hope at the final results of this dramatic meeting. For several years, they have been waiting for their sons, second-halves and fathers suffering savage beatings, twisted abuse, and sick mockery…

So, even if, as a result of the talks, for the first time after years of imprisonment, several hundred Ukrainian prisoners of war get the lucky chance of seeing red and yellow apples to bite, mobile phones to call their folks and medicine treatment of war injuries and traumas, which have been ignored  for years, that will be really great.

One more plus of these negotiations – additional insights which the Ukrainian delagation can get while dealing with Russian opponents, Istambul mediators, European advisers and American observers. Political experience will never be extra.