America News Agency

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha offered an evaluation after this week’s intense diplomatic engagements.

Sybiha emphasized that the most important gain for Ukraine was the return of 1,000 citizens. “This outcome alone makes the process valuable,” he said, calling it a success for both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Sybiha added, “In recent months, the momentum toward peace has exerted the necessary pressure on Russia, forcing it to produce results.”

He further stated that from Russia’s perspective, the Istanbul meeting was used by the Kremlin as a propaganda tool for its domestic audience. According to Sybiha, Russian President Vladimir Putin is not pursuing a genuine peace process but instead seeks to buy time, delay sanctions, and continue the war under a guise of constructiveness.