Russia, Ukraine head to Istanbul for fresh peace talks
ISTANBUL: Russian and Ukrainian officials will meet Monday in Istanbul to exchange their plans for how to end the three-year war, Europe's largest conflict since World War II, after Kyiv says it struck dozens of strategic bombers parked at airbases deep in Russia.
Urged on by US President Donald Trump, Moscow and Kyiv have opened direct negotiations for the first time since the early weeks of Russia's invasion but have yet to make significant progress towards an elusive agreement.
Monday's talks come a day after Ukraine carried out one of its most brazen and successful attacks ever on Russian soil -- hitting dozens of strategic bombers parked at airbases thousands of kilometres behind the front line.
At the first round of talks in Istanbul last month, they agreed a large-scale prisoner exchange and to swap notes on what their vision of a peace deal might look like.
The second set of negotiations is scheduled to get underway at 1:00 pm (1000 GMT) at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, an Ottoman imperial house on the banks of the Bosphorus that is now a luxury five-star hotel.
Russia says it will present a "memorandum" of its peace terms, having resisted pressure by Ukraine to send its demands in advance.
Despite the flurry of diplomacy, the two sides remain far apart over a possible deal -- either for a truce or longer-term settlement.
Outlining Kyiv's position ahead of the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refreshed his call for an immediate halt to the fighting.
"First –- a full and unconditional ceasefire. Second –- the release of prisoners. Third -– the return of abducted children," he said Sunday in a post on social media.
He also called for the sides to discuss a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"The key issues can only be resolved by the leaders," Zelensky said.
The Kremlin has repeatedly pushed back on that prospect, saying a Putin-Zelensky meeting could only happen after the negotiating delegations reach wider "agreements".
Russia has questioned Zelensky's legitimacy throughout the war and repeatedly called for him to be toppled.
Moscow says it wants to address the "root causes" of the conflict -- language typically used to refer to a mix of sweeping demands including limiting Ukraine's military, banning the country from joining NATO and massive territorial concessions.
Kyiv and the West have rejected those calls and cast Russia's assault as nothing but an imperialist land grab.
Tens of thousands have been killed since Russia invaded, with swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine destroyed and millions forced to flee their homes.
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