On May 17, 2025, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was possible, but only as a result of the work of the two countries' delegations and subject to reaching specific agreements. He announced this during a briefing with journalists, specifying that it was fundamentally important for Moscow who on the Ukrainian side would sign potential agreements. According to Peskov, the parties are currently focused on agreeing on the terms for a ceasefire, and the talks in Istanbul are continuing behind closed doors without announcing the next round. The main focus is on implementing the agreements already reached, including the exchange of prisoners of war.

The talks in Istanbul, which began on May 16, were the first direct contacts between Russia and Ukraine since March 2022. The Russian delegation was led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, while the Ukrainian delegation was led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. As Reuters reported, Russia put forward a number of demands, including neutral status for Ukraine and recognition of Crimea and four regions as Russian territory, which Kyiv called "unrealistic." Minister Umerov, according to RBC-Ukraine, confirmed discussions on a ceasefire and prisoner exchange, noting that a major exchange in the "1000 for 1000" format could take place in the near future, although the exact date has not been disclosed.

Peskov's statement came amid active discussions in Istanbul, where a trilateral meeting of the United States, Turkey and Ukraine was held in parallel, with the participation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio expressed skepticism, saying that a breakthrough is only possible with direct dialogue between Putin and US President Donald Trump.