Thu May 22 17:24:22 UTC 2025: **Headline: Kremlin Says No New Peace Talks Scheduled, Despite Prisoner Swap Agreement**

**Moscow, May 22, 2025 (The Hindu)** – Despite agreeing to a large prisoner swap, Russia and Ukraine have no concrete plans for future peace negotiations, the Kremlin stated on Thursday. This announcement comes shortly after a face-to-face meeting in Istanbul and days after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed ceasefire negotiations were imminent.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that while a historic exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war was agreed upon in Istanbul on May 16th, no follow-up meetings have been scheduled. This casts doubt on the progress of broader peace efforts, despite intensified pressure from the U.S. and Europe.

President Putin has suggested a “memorandum” outlining a framework for a potential peace treaty, but has rejected a 30-day ceasefire proposal accepted by Ukraine. He insists on a halt to Ukraine’s mobilization and a freeze on Western arms shipments as part of any comprehensive settlement, a demand that has drawn criticism from European leaders who accuse him of stalling for time.

Peskov did confirm that work on the prisoner swap is proceeding “at a quick pace,” with Russia providing a list of prisoners it wants released. Kyiv has yet to provide a counter list. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy described the prisoner exchange as “perhaps the only real result” of the Istanbul talks.

Amidst the diplomatic stalemate, fighting continues to escalate. Both sides have accused each other of intensifying drone attacks. Russia claimed to have downed 105 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 35 over the Moscow region, leading to airport delays and internet disruptions. Ukraine, in turn, reported a barrage of 128 Russian drones targeting various regions, including an industrial facility in Dnipropetrovsk.

The ongoing conflict continues to claim lives, with Ukrainian shelling reported to have killed a man in Russia’s Kursk region. President Putin, who recently visited the region, has ordered the creation of a “security buffer zone” along the border to prevent further attacks. The details of this proposed zone remain unclear.

**[End of Article]**

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