Russia-Ukraine Talks Hit a Pause: What’s Happening Now?
Moscow, Russia – The ongoing Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations have taken a temporary break, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. He shared this update with reporters, as reported by Tass news agency.
Peskov explained that while communication channels between the Russian and Ukrainian negotiating teams remain open and ready to use, active talks have stopped for now. When asked about direct contacts between Moscow and Kyiv, he said, "Our negotiators can still reach out through these channels, but right now, that communication is on hold."
This pause comes after several rounds of Russia-Ukraine talks since May. The two sides have met three times for direct discussions, focusing on key humanitarian issues like prisoner exchanges and body repatriations. In the first two rounds, they struck deals to swap prisoners – over 1,000 from each side – including seriously ill fighters and those under 25 years old, under an "all for all" agreement.
They also followed up on agreements from Istanbul talks. In June, Russia handed over 6,060 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers to Kyiv and received 78 bodies of Russian troops in return. Then, on July 17, another 1,000 Ukrainian bodies went to Ukraine, with Russia getting 19 Russian ones back. These steps highlight the humanitarian efforts amid the Russia-Ukraine war.
The third round of talks happened in Istanbul on July 23. There, Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange both civilians and service members. Russia even suggested creating three online working groups to tackle political, military, and humanitarian challenges. Moscow also offered to hand over bodies of another 3,000 Ukrainian troops and restart short humanitarian pauses on the front lines to recover the wounded and dead.
But tensions are high. Earlier today, Rodion Miroshnik, Russia’s special envoy for investigating crimes by Kyiv, accused the Ukrainian side of trying to derail meaningful Russia-Ukraine negotiations. Speaking to Tass, he said Ukraine’s recent strikes on homes, civilians, and public transport seem aimed at shifting public opinion and crumbling morale. "Their strategy is to create chaos, provoke incidents, and make people think talks are hopeless – all to force Russia to walk away from the table," Miroshnik added.
The last exchange of fallen soldiers’ bodies took place on August 19. Russia transferred 1,000 Ukrainian bodies, while Ukraine sent back 19 Russian ones, according to Tass.
As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues, this pause in talks raises questions about the next steps in peace efforts and humanitarian aid. Stay tuned for updates on these developments.
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