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What was at stake in Istanbul on 15 May 2025
Summary
A look back at the diplomatic standoff over direct Russia–Ukraine talks, set in motion by a ceasefire ultimatum from European governments.
Would Russia and Ukraine sit down face to face in Istanbul? That was the question hanging over 15 May 2025, the date Russian President Vladimir Putin had proposed for direct negotiations in the Turkish city.
The proposal, made on 11 May 2025, came after the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Poland threatened further sanctions if Russia did not agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire beginning on 12 May. Moscow answered with an offer of talks rather than a truce.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also on 11 May, called on Russia to confirm an unconditional ceasefire before any direct negotiations between the two nations. The positions were therefore sequenced differently: the European governments and Kyiv pressed for a halt in fighting first, while the Kremlin's proposal put negotiations first.
A wider call for peace
The same day, Pope Leo XIV used his first Sunday address to appeal for peace in Ukraine. He called for the release of all war prisoners and the return of abducted Ukrainian children to their families. He also urged an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access in Gaza, and a permanent ceasefire in the India–Pakistan conflict.
The issue of children carries heavy weight in the conflict. According to later background accounts, Russia has forcibly transferred almost 20,000 Ukrainian children to areas under its control, and the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Putin and Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova over their alleged involvement.
The state of play
By 15 May 2025, then, the diplomatic picture rested on a few points: a European sanctions threat tied to a 30-day ceasefire, a Russian offer of direct talks in Istanbul, and a Ukrainian insistence that a ceasefire be confirmed before negotiating.
