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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Holly Bishop

Watch live: Zelensky and Rutte hold press conference as Ukraine and Russia peace talks take place

Watch live as Volodymyr Zelensky and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte address the media following a round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.

The talks, held in Istanbul on Monday (2 June), come just hours after both sides carried out overnight attacks.

The Ukrainian president is currently in Vilnius with Rutte for a Nato summit with the alliance’s eastern and Nordic members.

Discussing what he thinks will come out of the peace talks, which is their second round of direct peace talks since 2022, Zelensky said he is doubtful whether the “Russians will be ready for some productive meetings”.

He said: "In parallel in Istanbul this hour, there is our team. I had a conversation with my minister, minister of defence (Rustem Umerov), in the early morning. So they are preparing for a meeting.

“I'm not sure that the Russians will be ready for some productive meetings, but we always have to count on some decisions.

“For us, very important is a ceasefire, unconditional, of course, ceasefire and humanitarian issues as to bring back abducted children and, of course, the exchange of warriors and to do everything for other prisoners, civilian prisoners, and journalists, political prisoners. So it's very important to get them all home."

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