STORY: Kyiv has offered Moscow to hold a leaders' summit aimed at ending the war by the end of August, the head of the Ukrainian delegation at talks in Istanbul said on Wednesday (July 23).

Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine's National Defence and Security Council, told media Ukraine was ready for a ceasefire and called on Russia "to demonstrate a constructive and realistic approach."

Umerov spoke after the meeting with Russian delegation at the third round of direct talks. The meeting lasted about 40 minutes.

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators met in Istanbul on Wednesday for their first peace talks in more than seven weeks, with Moscow under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to strike a deal or face tough new sanctions.

Last week he threatened heavy new sanctions on Russia and countries that buy its exports unless a peace deal was reached within 50 days, though reaction on financial markets suggested investors were sceptical that he would follow through.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier this week that the agenda for talks was clear: the return of prisoners of war and of children abducted by Russia, and the preparation of a meeting between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin turned down a previous challenge from Zelenskiy to meet him in person and has said he does not see him as a legitimate leader because Ukraine, which is under martial law, did not hold new elections when Zelenskiy's five-year mandate expired last year. Russia also denies abducting children.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: UKRAINIAN DELEGATION MEMBERS SPEAKING AT A NEWS CONFERENCE AFTER HOLDING TALKS WITH RUSSIAN DELEGATION

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JULY 23, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. MEMBERS OF UKRAINIAN DELEGATION AT NEWS CONFERENCE

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUSTEM UMEROV, SECRETARY OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENCE COUNCIL OF UKRAINE, HEAD OF UKRAINIAN DELEGATION FOR TALKS WITH RUSSIA IN ISTANBUL SAYING:

"The priority number one is to organise a meeting of the leaders, of presidents. Participation of President Trump and Erdogan will be most valuable. A real ceasefire and end to all strikes at civilian infrastructure could be the first steps to lasting peace. We propose to the Russian side to hold such a meeting of leaders until the end of August (eds note: by the end of August). By agreeing to this proposal Russia can clearly demonstrate its constructive approach to everyone around the world including our partners. Ukraine keeps insisting on a full and unconditional ceasefire as a necessary basis for effective diplomacy. We are ready for ceasefire now and to start substantive peace negotiations and it is up to the other side to accept this basic step towards peace."

3. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUSTEM UMEROV, SECRETARY OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENCE COUNCIL OF UKRAINE, HEAD OF UKRAINIAN DELEGATION FOR TALKS WITH RUSSIA IN ISTANBUL SAYING:

" Real steps are possible and other side must demonstrate a constructive and realistic approach. We will keep working to achieve this."

5. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) YURII KOVBASA, REPRESENTATIVE OF UKRAIN'E OMBUDSMAN'S OFFICE SAYING:

"Additionally we drew the Russian attention to the prisoners of war who have been in captivity for over three years. The Russian side agreed to work on returning them."

7. UMEROV LISTENING, SERGIY KYSLYTSYA, UKRAINE'S DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER APPROACHING MICROPHONE

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SERGIY KYSLYTSYA , UKRAINE'S DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER SAYING:

" I need to add an additional sentence to that, that's important thing. We do not exchange children, we do not exchange civilians. The civilians and children must be returned."

9. MEMBERS OF UKRAINIAN DELEGATION LEAVING