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Istanbul talks proposal: what was on the table
Summary
A look back at the diplomatic positions taken in the days before direct Russia–Ukraine talks were proposed for Istanbul.
What was actually on offer in the diplomatic manoeuvring ahead of 16 May 2025? The picture is clearest from the positions set out on 11 May, days before the covered date.
Two competing sequences
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed direct negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey, on 15 May. The proposal followed a warning from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Poland that they would impose further sanctions if Russia did not agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire beginning on 12 May.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy answered with a different order of events. He called on Russia to confirm an unconditional ceasefire before any direct negotiations between the two countries. In effect, Moscow offered talks without a prior truce, while Kyiv and the four European states pressed for a truce first.
A wider appeal for peace
On the same day, 11 May, Pope Leo XIV used his first Sunday address to call for peace in Ukraine. He urged the release of all war prisoners and the return of abducted Ukrainian children to their families. He also called for an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, humanitarian aid access there, and a permanent ceasefire in the India–Pakistan conflict.
The mention of children points to a long-running issue. Later accounts put the number of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred by Russia to areas under its control at almost 20,000. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Putin and Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova over their alleged involvement.
Why the sequencing mattered
The dispute was over order rather than the principle of talking. The sanctions threat gave the European demand for a ceasefire a deadline, and the Istanbul proposal offered a meeting place and date. Kyiv's condition set a test: confirmation of a ceasefire before any bilateral session. The stated positions of 11 May show how far apart the sides were on the terms for starting negotiations.
