Ukraine and Russia meet peaceful negotiations in Türkiye, with little hope of breakthrough
Istanbul (AP) – Delegations from Russia and Ukraine gathered in Turkey on Monday in just over two weeks in the second round of direct peace talks, although expectations for any significant progress towards ending the Three Years’ War were low.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi met in Istanbul under the Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
According to Russian state media reports, a Russian delegation led by Vladimir Medinsky, an assistant to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, arrived Sunday night.
Turkish officials said the meeting will begin at 1 p.m. local time, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan chairing talks and officials from the Turkish Intelligence Agency.
However, Ukrainian spokesman Tykhyi said this will be the beginning of local time. It is impossible to clarify the difference immediately.
Latest comments from senior officials of the two countries show that they are still far apart under the critical conditions of stopping the war.
Meanwhile, fierce fighting continued along the frontline of about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), with both sides raiding each other's territory with profound attacks.
Ukraine's security agency said a Ukrainian drone attack destroyed more than 40 Russian aircraft deep in Russia on Sunday, while Moscow slammed Ukraine with missiles and drones.
Russia's defense agency reduced its defense by 162 Ukrainian drones overnight and on the Crimea's affiliated Ukrainian Peninsula, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.
Ukrainian air force said Ukrainian defense measures were damaged 52 of the 80 drones launched overnight by Russia.
The city’s mayor said two ballistic missiles hit a residential community in Kharkif, northeastern Ukraine, on Monday morning, including a residential area that was attacked near the school.
Kharkif Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a statement that a missile landed near the apartment building, a second missile hit a road near the school and published a photo of the wide crater.
“Stand by the crater, you will realize how different this may be,” Terekov wrote. “A few more meters – it will hit the building. In a few minutes – the car, the bus will be on the road.”
No casualties.
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Associated Press writer Suzan Frazer is based in Ankara, Turkey and Hanna Arhirova of Kiev, Ukraine, contributed to the report.
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