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The warring sides are still far apart heading into the third round of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations, set for Wednesday in Istanbul.
July 23, 2025, 5:30 a.m. ET
Russian and Ukrainian officials are expected to meet in Istanbul on Wednesday for the latest round of talks aimed at ending their war.
Neither Russia nor Ukraine has signaled any intention to soften their demands on what it would take for peace, making a significant breakthrough unlikely.
Still, no matter how far apart their positions remain, the rarity of any public diplomacy between the two sides since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 means that these meetings will be closely watched.
What do the two sides say they want?
Both Kyiv and the Kremlin say they want to end the war. They just have very different views on what a peace agreement should look like.
Ukraine is demanding a full cease-fire before discussing a durable peace deal.
Russia wants the opposite, insisting on agreeing to the terms of a peace deal before laying down arms.
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has said his forces would not surrender their battlefield initiative unless Kyiv agreed to a series of demands that include limits on its military and the acceptance of Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory.
