Ultimate goal is Russia-Ukraine ceasefire that will pave way for peace: Turkish foreign minister

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Wednesday that the ultimate goal of Russia-Ukraine talks is a ceasefire that will pave the way for peace.

Speaking at the Türkiye-Russia-Ukraine trilateral meeting in Istanbul as the Turkish metropolis hosts the third round of peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, Fidan said Türkiye, as facilitator for the talks, will continue to fulfill its role.

"We consider the exchange of memorandums reflecting the parties' perspectives on a ceasefire and peace in the second round of talks a significant development," he said.

Fidan expressed hope that in this round of talks the parties will engage in substantive and result-oriented consultations on the memorandums they exchanged earlier.

The first two rounds were held on May 16 and June 2 also in Istanbul. Both sides had agreed to exchange additional prisoners of war -- prioritizing the youngest and most severely wounded -- and to return the bodies of 6,000 soldiers from each side.

Moscow and Kyiv also exchanged memorandums outlining their visions to bring an end to the conflict that has continued since February 2022.

In the third round, Russia's delegation is led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, while Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, is heading Kyiv's delegation.