Umerov outlines outcomes of Ukraine-Russia talks

As reported by a Ukrinform correspondent, Umerov shared this information with journalists following the talks.

“Today we held another meeting with the Russian delegation. Ukraine came with three clear agenda points, defined by President Zelensky.

First, a ceasefire. We insist on a full and unconditional halt to killings immediately. Our proposal is for an unconditional ceasefire in the air, at sea, and on land — for at least 30 days. This position has remained unchanged for three months, and we see it as the basis for starting a peaceful resolution,” Umerov stated.

The second point, according to him, is the release of our people.

“We insist on the release of all prisoners and the return of abducted children. On the issue of prisoners of war, we agreed to focus on specific categories rather than numbers,” said the Minister of Defense.

Earlier, Umerov noted that an agreement was reached on exchanging all severely wounded and critically ill prisoners of war, as well as young soldiers aged 18 to 25, on an “all for all” basis. Additionally, both sides agreed to exchange the bodies of 6,000 fallen soldiers each.

“Regarding the children, we handed over a list of several hundred Ukrainian children who were deported to Russia. This is a fundamental priority for us. If Russia is truly committed to the peace process, the return of even half the children from that list would be a positive signal,” Umerov emphasized.

The third agenda item, he said, was a leaders’ meeting. The Ukrainian delegation proposed holding this meeting sometime between June 20 and 30.

“We have long told Russia: ‘This war must end.’ And the entire world supports us in this. We are calling for real efforts to stop this war. The first essential steps are clear to everyone: a ceasefire, humanitarian actions, and preparation for a leaders’ summit.

If Russia is serious about ending the war, it will move in this direction. If not, international sanctions must be applied,” Umerov concluded.