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"An agreement was reached on a number of practical issues" - The parties provided details

"An agreement was reached on a number of practical issues" - The parties provided details
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Tuesday, 03 June, 2025, 10:16

The head of the Russian delegation to the talks in Istanbul, Vladimir Medinsky, told reporters after the meeting that in addition to the exchange of memoranda, the parties had agreed on a number of practical steps. According to him, Russia would unilaterally hand over 6,000 bodies of Ukrainian servicemen to Ukraine next week.

The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, in turn, told reporters that the Russian side had not agreed to an unconditional ceasefire and a meeting of the heads of state. According to him, the parties had agreed on the exchange of bodies on the basis of the formula “6,000 for 6,000”.

In addition, the delegations agreed on the largest-scale exchange of seriously wounded and seriously ill servicemen, as well as captured soldiers aged 18 to 25, on the principle of “all for all”.

The Russian presidential aide also announced the creation of a permanent medical commission, based on which the parties would compile lists of the seriously wounded. According to him, such exchanges will be organized regularly. “Since the Ukrainian side is constantly talking about the need for a ceasefire, in a rather general way, we proposed a specific ceasefire in certain parts of the front for two or three days... so that commanders can collect the bodies of their soldiers,” Medinsky said. He explained that such a step is necessary to prevent the risk of epidemics.

According to Umerov, the Ukrainian side has proposed another meeting, from June 20 to 30. In addition, the Ukrainian delegation has transferred to the Russian side a list of forcibly displaced Ukrainian children, whose return it demands. This was announced after the talks by the head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Andriy Yermak.

“The return of Ukrainian children is an integral part of a just and lasting peace. We are waiting for an answer. The ball is in Russia’s court,” he wrote on his Telegram channel, noting that the list includes hundreds of names.