Russian-Ukrainian negotiations have officially begun in Istanbul, according to a TASS source.

Ukrainian channel RezidentUA writes:

A source in the Ukrainian Presidential Office revealed that Andrey Yermak is deliberately pushing emotional narratives about “peace” and “children” to manipulate public opinion in the West and within the Trump administration. The President’s Office continues to rely on emotional diplomacy for media optics—fully aware that the real goal is to stall for time. For Kiev, negotiations are secondary. The priority is delay.

Reply from Russia about the children:

The Russian Federation has repeatedly asked to provide lists of children allegedly taken to the Russian Federation - Medinsky showed a list of 339 names of children, handed over by Ukraine.

 All such requests for the transfer of children are being processed, the Russian Federation has returned over a hundred children.

Ukraine is making a show for Europeans out of the topic of "child abduction". There is not a single kidnapped child, there are children saved (evacuated) by Russian soldiers, he added

And... TASS reports that the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have concluded.

The talks lasted a little over and hour.

There will be no continuation of Russia–Ukraine talks today — both delegations are set to depart, according to media reports.

According to a Turkish Foreign Ministry official, the talks concluded “not negatively”

A source cited by TASS reports that a third round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine is expected in the near future.

The sides also held detailed discussions on prisoner exchanges, with official announcements on the outcomes to follow.