Russia Offers Ukraine to Hand Over 3,000 Bodies of Soldiers: Presidential Aide Medinsky
00:33 24.07.2025 (Updated: 00:45 24.07.2025)
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The third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul lasted about an hour, a source told Sputnik.
Here are main statements made by the head of the Russian delegation Medinsky:
Remains Transfer: Russia will return the bodies of deceased Ukrainian soldiers to Kiev with Red Cross assistance, pending Ukraine’s readiness.
Additional Handover: Russia offered to transfer another 3,000 bodies of Ukrainian troops
Ceasefire Proposal: Russia suggested 24–48-hour temporary ceasefires to allow both sides to collect wounded soldiers and remains
Prisoner Exchange: Moscow proposed swapping at least 1,200 more POWs from each side
Working Groups: Ukraine agreed to consider Russia’s proposal on forming joint working groups
Previous Returns: Over 7,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers have already been repatriated by Russia
Divergent Positions: Russian and Ukrainian positions in the discussed memoranda remain "very far apart."
Prolonged Discussion: Both sides extensively debated their respective positions outlined in the memoranda during talks
Humanitarian Exchanges: Russia and Ukraine agreed to continue indefinite medical exchanges for seriously wounded/sick soldiers along the frontline
Request for Clarification: Russia demanded that Kiev clarify the legal status of detained civilians from Russia’s Kursk region held in Ukraine
Unclear Motives: There is no clear explanation for Ukraine’s detention of Kursk region civilians
Russia’s Delegation
Vladimir Medinsky, Russian Presidential Aide
Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin
Chief of the Russian General Staff’s Main Intelligence Directorate Igor Kostyukov
Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin
Ukrainian Delegation
Rustem Umerov, formerly Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, now serving as the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council.
The delegation will also include representatives from Ukrainian intelligence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Zelensky’s office.
According to a senior Turkish official, heads of Turkish diplomacy and intelligence and a senior military official will also be in attendance.
What's On The Table
The upcoming discussions will be “quite complex,” with a central focus on two opposing draft memoranda on the terms of a potential settlement, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
These documents were exchanged during the second round of talks on June 2.
“There will be an exchange of opinions and actual negotiations on these two projects,” Peskov confirmed.
“Significant diplomatic work” lies ahead before any high- or top-level meetings between the two countries can be considered, noted the spokesman.
While reaching agreements on prisoner exchanges or the return of the bodies of the dead would be seen as productive, Peskov cautioned against expecting rapid or sweeping outcomes.
“Of course, there is no reason to count on any breakthroughs from the category of miracles,” he said. “It is unlikely that this is possible in the current situation.”
Peskov further noted that the composition of the Russian delegation will remain unchanged.
He Peskov declined to speculate on when a final agreement might be reached, citing too many variables to make any credible forecast.
Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the Russian negotiating team is in constant contact with their Ukrainian counterparts and confirmed the country’s readiness for the next round.
