Russian-Ukrainian talks were "more positive than expected" – Turkish official tells CNN

Negotiations between the aggressor country russia and Ukraine in Istanbul went more positively than expected. A senior Turkish official told CNN on Friday, May 16.

"It was more positive than expected. They did not use accusatory language," the Turkish official said.

According to him, it was Turkey that proposed a prisoner exchange when the situation with the negotiations "seemed like there was an impasse." Russia and Ukraine agreed on an exchange that would include three categories - children, civilians and soldiers.

According to the official, the fact that the two sides came to Istanbul and held talks can already be seen as a mutual need to find a way out of the situation.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, talks between Ukraine and russia took place in Istanbul on May 16.

On May 16, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated that the russian side had set several unacceptable conditions during the negotiations.

At the same time, on May 16, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that "very difficult days" would come after the negotiations between russia and Ukraine.