On May 16, direct negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian representatives took place in Istanbul. The Russian delegation was led by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Vladimir Putin, while the Ukrainian side was represented by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The meeting lasted just under two hours. According to media reports, the Russian side demanded the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from four partially occupied regions: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
Additionally, both parties announced preparations for a large-scale prisoner exchange under a "1,000 for 1,000" scheme.
For further details on the negotiations, see the report by *Novaya-Europe*.