On May 16, 2025, the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine since March 2022 ended at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, which caused a wide resonance due to the harsh rhetoric of the Russian delegation. As reported by The Economist correspondent Oliver Carroll in his post on X, the head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky said that Russia "does not want war", but is ready to fight "for a year, two, three - however long it takes." Addressing the Ukrainian side, he recalled the Northern War with Sweden, which lasted 21 years, and asked: "How long are you prepared to fight?" This phrase, according to the BBC, was perceived as a demonstration of Moscow's determination to continue the conflict until its goals are achieved.

The talks, mediated by Turkey, lasted for about two hours. The Russian delegation was led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, and the Ukrainian by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. According to Reuters, the parties reached an agreement on a prisoner exchange of 1000 for 1000, which would be the largest since the beginning of the conflict. However, no progress was made on the ceasefire issue. Carroll claims that Russia put forward a condition: the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from four regions partially controlled by Russia, which Kyiv considered unacceptable. Moreover, Medinsky hinted at the possibility of occupying the Kharkiv and Sumy regions, stating that the Russian Armed Forces have sufficient resources for this.