The second round of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul, Turkey, but ended without any major progress. However, both sides agreed on a deal to exchange prisoners of war and the bodies of fallen soldiers.

According to Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, Russia will hand over about 6,000 frozen bodies of Ukrainian soldiers to Ukraine by next week. He said the bodies have been identified through DNA tests where possible, and this step will allow Ukraine to give them proper burials.

Medinsky also said Russia is willing to receive the bodies of its soldiers if Ukraine has any. Also, both countries agreed to exchange all seriously injured or sick prisoners, as well as those under the age of 25. Medinsky called this the biggest prisoner swap agreed upon so far.

Although the talks did not result in a peace agreement, the exchanges are seen as a humanitarian step forward.
Russia and Ukraine also agreed to exchange seriously wounded and sick soldiers from both sides. Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said it would be a fair exchange "all for all"-and would also include young soldiers under the age of 25. Each side is expected to exchange at least 1,000 people, with final numbers still being discussed.

Both countries also agreed to set up permanent medical teams. These teams will prepare lists of badly injured soldiers who can be swapped without needing major political decisions, making the process faster and more regular. Medinsky also responded to Ukraine’s claim that Russia had kidnapped Ukrainian children. He denied the allegations, saying no children were abducted. Instead, he claimed that Russian soldiers rescued children from war zones, and efforts are being made to reunite them with their families. He said Russia had received a list of 339 names and would look into each case.

The talks happened one day after Ukraine carried out a drone attack deep inside Russian territory. Despite the discussions and humanitarian agreements, no major progress was made toward ending the war, and Russia continues to reject international calls for a ceasefire.