Rustem Umerov: Ukraine remains steadfast in its commitment to strength, principles, and common sense

The Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, submitted his report to the President of Ukraine following today’s meeting with the russian side in Istanbul.

“Upon returning to Kyiv, I will also convey the proposals from the russian side, which were presented only today — directly during the negotiations,” said the Minister of Defence.

He emphasized that the Ukrainian side acted clearly and consistently throughout, and conveyed the positions articulated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

The Minister of Defence of Ukraine stated that one of the key positions is an unconditional ceasefire for a minimum of 30 days. This has been a guiding principle for Ukraine and its partners for many months. However, russia rejects even the idea of halting the killings. 

“For this reason, we appeal to the world: pressure is needed to achieve genuine peace, not a mere simulation of negotiations. Our documents were submitted in advance. In contrast, the Russian ‘memorandum’ emerged only today, during the meeting itself. This created circumstances that hindered the meeting from achieving the outcomes essential for ending the war. It appears that the russians are once again stalling for time, attempting to create a ‘diplomatic façade’ for the U.S. without meaningful action,” noted Rustem Umerov.

Progress was made during the meeting regarding the release of Ukrainian captives. Agreements were reached on:

– exchange of all severely wounded and critically ill service members — “all for all”

– exchange of all soldiers aged 18–25 — “all for all”

– return of the fallen — 6,000 for 6,000

The Ukrainian side also submitted a fully verified list of abducted Ukrainian children. The return of even some of them would be a humanitarian act—if russia genuinely wants to move toward peace.

Additionally, a proposal was put forward to convene a meeting at the leadership level by the end of June.

“Decisions can only be made by those who genuinely have the authority to decide. If, however, this is merely another attempt to buy time, there can be only one response: tougher international sanctions. Ukraine remains steadfast in its commitment to strength, principles, and common sense. We seek peace, but not at any price, nor on the terms set by the aggressor,” concluded Rustem Umerov.