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The negotiations took place behind closed doors and lasted less than two hours.

Shortly after the talks concluded, Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian president’s office, announced that Kyiv had handed over a list of children it is demanding be returned by Russia.

“Today, during the talks in Istanbul, the Ukrainian side officially gave the Russian side a list of Ukrainian children who must be returned,” Yermak wrote on Telegram. “We’re talking about hundreds of children who were illegally deported, forcibly transferred, or are being held in temporarily occupied territories. The return of these children is an inseparable part of a just and lasting peace and a key element of trust. It’s the first test of whether Russia’s intentions are sincere. We’re waiting for a response. The ball is in Russia’s court.”