Ultimatums could derail negotiations between Moscow and Kiev, the former Russian president has said

Ultimatums from the West will not help resolve the Ukraine conflict, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has warned, after the EU and US threatened Moscow with additional sanctions.

As Russia and Ukraine held their first direct talks in three years in Istanbul on Friday, US President Donald Trump said he could impose “crushing” sanctions on Russia if it fails to reach a peace deal.

EU member states also agreed on a 17th sanctions package, which is expected to be formally approved next week.

“All enemies of Russia that issue negotiating ultimatums should remember a simple thing: peace negotiations alone do not always lead to the end of hostilities,” Medvedev, currently the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, wrote on X on Saturday.

“Unsuccessful negotiations can lead to the onset of a more terrible stage of the war with new weapons and participants,” he added.

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The West has urged Russia to accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire proposed by Ukraine and the US. Moscow has argued that Kiev would exploit the pause to rearm and regroup its forces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has insisted that a lasting settlement would require Ukraine to halt its mobilization drive, stop receiving weapons from abroad, and withdraw its troops from Russian territory.

The head of Russia’s negotiating team in Istanbul, Vladimir Medinsky, said the two sides agreed to conduct a prisoner swap involving 1,000 POWs from each side, and to continue contacts once both parties have prepared detailed ceasefire proposals.