ISTANBUL, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Amid a protracted and devastating conflict, Russia and Ukraine achieved agreements during their peace negotiations in Istanbul last week, signaling a potential shift -- albeit modest -- toward de-escalation, according to Turkish experts.
Facilitated by Türkiye, the May 16 meeting marked the first direct contact between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in three years, culminating in an agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners from each side, the largest swap since the war began.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hailed the day as "an important one for global peace," emphasizing that the outcome reflects the fruits of sustained diplomatic engagement.
In addition to the prisoner swap, the delegations agreed to exchange written ceasefire proposals, marking cautious but tangible progress in dialogue.
Political analyst and Marmara University academic Baris Doster called the outcomes "concrete and practical," but they shouldn't lead to overly optimistic expectations. "A lasting ceasefire or peace agreement won't emerge overnight," he told Xinhua.
Doster warned that while positive moves have been made, the broader geopolitical context remains unchanged. Despite shifts in the U.S. stance following the Donald Trump administration, the European Union's approach -- which includes prolonging the conflict until Russia is weakened -- remains firmly in place.
"This ongoing opposition to Russia by the European Union," Doster explained, "complicates the path toward a swift resolution."
Ilyas Kemaloglu, a professor of history at Marmara University, noted that while the outcomes of the Istanbul talks may not immediately alter the course of the war, they still represent "encouraging steps forward" in a context where diplomatic momentum has been scarce.
The agreement on the prisoner exchange, coupled with the mutual commitment to continue talks, signals a potential opening for future negotiations once considered unattainable, as Kemaloglu wrote in his latest article published by the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Commenting on the European Union's largely negative reaction to the Istanbul talks, Kemaloglu attributed it to the bloc's exclusion from the diplomatic process.
He added that Russia's ceasefire demands -- including the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from key territories and the recognition of these regions as Russian -- "are clearly not in line with the interests of EU countries."
As both sides signal a cautious willingness to continue dialogue, the coming weeks will reveal whether this fragile momentum can be translated into more concrete steps toward lasting peace, experts said. ■
