Ukraine and Russia held a second round of peace talks in Istanbul, lasting just over an hour. While a prisoner exchange was agreed upon, significant progress on a ceasefire remained elusive. Russia presented two ceasefire options, one involving Ukrainian withdrawal from occupied territories and another demanding Ukrainian demilitarization and a halt to foreign aid. Ukraine rejected these proposals, reiterating its demand for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. The talks followed a major Ukrainian drone strike on Russian airfields, which Kyiv claimed caused significant damage. Zelensky linked further sanctions to a lack of progress in negotiations, suggesting a meeting between himself, Putin, and Erdogan (possibly including Trump) as a potential solution.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.