President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that Ukraine and Russia are set to meet again for peace negotiations on Wednesday in Istanbul. This declaration follows two previous rounds that failed to halt the conflict, yet optimism persists for potential progress.
A Turkish government spokesperson confirmed that the talks will take place in Istanbul, the same location as earlier negotiations in May and June that yielded no significant breakthroughs. Zelensky’s announcement came just hours after the Kremlin downplayed expectations of any major success, and despite increased pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has given Russia a 50-day deadline to agree on a deal or face sanctions.
His revelation of a new round of negotiations also followed the latest Russian bombardment of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, which ignited multiple fires and damaged an underground air-raid shelter where civilians had sought refuge. “Today, I discussed with (Ukrainian Security Council chief) Rustem Umerov the preparations for the exchange and another meeting in Turkey with the Russian side. Umerov reported that the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday,” Zelensky stated in his daily address on Monday.
Zelensky, who proposed fresh talks over the weekend, added that more details would be released on Tuesday. Russia has not yet officially confirmed the negotiations. A senior Ukrainian official, speaking anonymously to AFP earlier, indicated that the Istanbul talks would likely concentrate on further prisoner exchanges and a possible meeting between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Having been at war since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the opposing sides previously met in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2 as Washington intensified pressure for a resolution, but no substantial headway was achieved. Ukrainian and Russian negotiators only managed to agree on prisoner exchanges. Since then, Russia has escalated its aerial attacks on Ukraine and seized more frontline territory.
While both parties exchanged perspectives on what a peace agreement might entail during past discussions, their positions remain vastly divergent. Russia continues to demand that Ukraine relinquish four regions, in addition to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014. The Kremlin also insists that Ukraine abandon any aspirations of joining the NATO military alliance.
Ukraine has rejected these demands and questioned Russia’s genuine desire for a ceasefire. Commenting on the prospects of a breakthrough, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that the two sides’ proposals were “diametrically opposed” and that “a lot of diplomatic work lies ahead.”
However, a more pronounced US presence will loom over these upcoming talks. This follows Trump’s ultimatum last week, coupled with his statement that arms supplies to Ukraine would be reinstated.
Unprecedented Drone Attacks
The Kremlin’s latest remarks were made after Russia launched a massive drone and missile barrage on Kyiv. In recent weeks, Russia has fired a record number of drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities in deadly attacks that Kyiv claims demonstrate Moscow’s lack of seriousness about ending the invasion.
Zelensky reported that two people were killed in the latest wave of attacks, terming it an “assault on humanity.” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot arrived in Kyiv for a surprise visit while rescue workers were still sifting through the debris. The Ukrainian president posted on social media that he held discussions with Zelensky, focusing on air defense, sanctions, and weapons production.
According to local authorities, six districts of Kyiv came under attack on Monday, causing fires at a supermarket, several residential buildings, and a nursery. An AFP reporter observed damage to multiple structures, as well as scattered debris and shattered glass across the streets. The entrance to a metro station serving as a civilian shelter was also damaged.
“The shelters themselves are no longer entirely safe, as the metro station behind me, which is being used as a shelter for the people of Kyiv, has been targeted,” Barrot remarked during his visit to the damaged station. Russia’s invasion has claimed tens of thousands of lives, forced millions to flee their homes, and devastated extensive areas of eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s air force stated that Russia launched 450 drones and missiles in the overnight assault. The Russian army claimed these strikes, which included hypersonic missiles, targeted Ukraine’s military facilities, asserting that it had destroyed three US-made Patriot air defense launchers.
