Russia, Ukraine hold peace talks in Turkey after drone attacks, meet lasts just over an hour

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan opened the meeting by saying, “The eyes of the whole world are focused on the contacts here.” He said the talks were aimed at assessing the possibility of a ceasefire, exploring a potential meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents, and discussing more prisoner exchanges.

Drone strikes raised tensions before talks

The talks followed one of Ukraine’s most ambitious attacks of the war. On Sunday, drones targeted Russian air bases in multiple regions, including Siberia and the Arctic, striking simultaneously across three time zones.

Ukraine claimed that more than 40 warplanes were destroyed or damaged. Vasyl Maliuk, head of Ukraine’s security service, who led the operation, described the raid as “a major blow to Russia’s military power,” according to AP.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in Vilnius, “It was a brilliant operation that will go down in history.” The BBC reported that satellite imagery confirmed losses to Russia’s bomber fleet, a key part of its strategic arsenal.

Russia fires record number of drones

Russia launched 472 drones at Ukraine the highest number since the full-scale invasion began according to Ukraine’s air force. The strike appeared aimed at overwhelming Ukraine’s air defences.

The AP reported that 52 of 80 Russian drones were shot down overnight, while the Russian defence ministry said 162 Ukrainian drones were intercepted across eight Russian regions and Crimea.

Different goals, no breakthrough

The Ukrainian delegation was led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, while the Russian side was headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Vladimir Putin.

The delegations sat across from each other at a U-shaped table inside Istanbul’s historic Ciragan Palace, with Turkish officials seated between them.

Reuters reported that expectations were low, and the two sides remain far apart on what a ceasefire should look like.

The Institute for the Study of War, a US-based think tank, said in a statement cited by AP, “Russia is attempting to delay negotiations and prolong the war in order to make additional battlefield gains.”

Zelenskyy urges action on prisoners and sanctions

President Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian side had given Russia a list of children they claim were deported from Ukrainian territory. Ukraine wants their return as part of a future agreement. Russia has said the children were moved for their safety.

Speaking in Vilnius, Zelenskyy warned that if the Istanbul talks fail, “strong new sanctions are urgently needed.”

He also confirmed preparations were underway for another prisoner exchange.

Civilian areas still under attack

As talks were underway, fighting continued along the 1,000-km front line.

Ukrainian officials said Russian shelling in the southern Kherson region killed three people and injured 19 others. In the Zaporizhzhia area, five more people were killed and nine injured in separate strikes.

Despite recent battlefield challenges, Zelenskyy said Russia’s military setbacks would eventually bring them to the negotiating table. “Russia must feel what its losses mean. That is what will push it toward diplomacy,” he said.