ISTANBUL

Russia on Monday handed over to Ukraine the draft of a peace proposal during the second round of talks held in Istanbul, the head of the Russian delegation said.

Speaking to journalists after the talks, Vladimir Medinsky said the Russian proposal is divided into two sections – one outlining steps toward achieving a full ceasefire and the other focused on reaching lasting peace.

“The document is comprehensive and includes various scenarios to achieve its goals,” he said, adding that the Ukrainian side had received it for further study.

Medinsky confirmed that Russia will unilaterally return the bodies of 6,000 fallen Ukrainian soldiers next week, stating that all have been identified.

Moscow has offered Ukraine a temporary ceasefire lasting two to three days in specific areas along the front line, he said.

The proposal is described as a “concrete ceasefire” intended to allow commanders to retrieve the bodies of fallen soldiers. Moscow and Kyiv have reportedly agreed to a localized truce for this purpose.

He said, in response, Ukraine confirmed that a limited ceasefire had been agreed upon in designated zones to enable the recovery process and added that Ukraine is preparing a broader proposal to formalize such pauses in combat.

The parties also agreed to carry out the largest exchange of prisoners since the war began, with the total number expected to exceed 1,000.

“Both sides committed to an ‘all-for-all’ exchange of sick and seriously wounded prisoners, as well as fighters under the age of 25,” he noted.

A joint commission will be established to oversee exchanges of the severely injured, bypassing political interference.

As part of humanitarian confidence-building measures, Medinsky said Moscow offered a short-term “concrete ceasefire” on certain front-line sections, and the Ukrainian military promised to review the proposal soon.

A temporary truce was also agreed to enable both sides to collect their dead.

He also addressed the issue of children separated by the conflict, claiming that “not a single child was abducted” by Russia and labeling Ukraine’s concerns as “a show for compassionate Europeans.”

According to him, Kyiv provided a list of 339 children it believes were affected by the conflict. “We return children when their parents or legal guardians are located,” he added, emphasizing Russia’s effort to reunite separated families.

Medinsky said the discussions, which lasted just over an hour, were conducted entirely in Russian.

The Istanbul meeting marked the second round of negotiations hosted by Türkiye since renewed diplomatic engagement began earlier this year. The latest discussions followed a May 16 meeting at Dolmabahce and came amid a broader push for humanitarian relief and de-escalation.