Delegations from Ukraine and Russia convened in Istanbul on Monday for a fresh round of direct peace talks, even as military operations escalated on both sides and hopes of a breakthrough remained distant.
This marks the second such meeting between the two nations in just over a fortnight. The Ukrainian delegation, led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, arrived for the talks at the historic Ciragan Palace on the Bosphorus. The confirmation was provided by Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a message circulated via the Ukrainian Embassy’s WhatsApp group.
On the Russian side, the delegation is being headed by Vladimir Medinsky, a close aide to President Vladimir Putin, who reached the Turkish city on Sunday evening, according to reports from Russian state media.
The meeting was scheduled to commence at 1 p.m. local time, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan chairing the session. Turkish intelligence officials were also expected to be present, officials in Ankara confirmed. However, Tykhyi stated the discussions were due to begin at midday. The discrepancy in timing could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report.
Despite the diplomatic engagement, recent remarks from senior figures in Kyiv and Moscow suggest that the two sides remain entrenched in opposing positions. The war, now entering its third year, continues to rage along a front line stretching over 1,000 kilometres, with deep strikes launched across territories of both nations.
Also read: Lavrov speaks with Rubio after Ukraine drone strike on Russia
A day prior to the talks, Ukraine’s Security Service claimed that more than 40 Russian aircraft were destroyed in a drone assault deep within Russian territory — one of the largest such attacks reported since the onset of the conflict.
Russia, for its part, responded with a barrage of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. On Monday, its Defence Ministry said that 162 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted over eight Russian regions, as well as over Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014.
In retaliation, Ukraine’s air force reported it had downed 52 out of 80 drones launched overnight by Russian forces.
In one of the more severe ground incidents reported on Monday, two ballistic missiles struck a residential neighbourhood in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said one missile landed near an apartment block while the other hit a road adjacent to a school.
“Standing next to the crater, you realise how different it all could have been,” the mayor said in a statement, which included an image of the damage. “A few more meters — and it would have hit the building. A few more minutes — and cars, buses would have been on the road.”
Fortunately, no casualties were reported from the incident.
Meanwhile, military analysts warned that any significant outcome from the Istanbul dialogue would be premature given the current intensity of the fighting and lack of mutual concessions. Both sides appear intent on consolidating positions ahead of any substantial diplomatic movement.
Follow us
