New Russia-Ukraine talks on Wednesday, says Zelensky

KYIV, Ukraine (AFP) — Russia and Ukraine will hold new peace talks Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Monday, a follow-up to two earlier rounds that made little progress on ending their war.

The talks will be held in Istanbul, a Turkish government spokesperson said, the same venue as previous negotiations which failed to make any breakthroughs in May and June.

While United States President Donald Trump has increased the pressure by giving Russia 50 days to agree on a deal or face sanctions, Zelensky spoke only hours after the Kremlin had downplayed hopes for a breakthrough.

His announcement of a fresh round of negotiations also came in the wake of the latest Russian barrage on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, which sparked several fires and damaged an underground air-raid shelter where civilians had taken refuge.

“Today, I discussed with (Ukrainian Security Council chief) Rustem Umerov the preparations for the exchange and another meeting in Turkey with the Russian side. Umerov reported that the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday,” Zelensky said in his daily address on Monday.

Zelensky, who proposed fresh talks at the weekend, added that more details would be released on Tuesday. Russia did not immediately confirm the new negotiations.

A senior Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP earlier that the Istanbul talks would probably focus on further prisoner exchanges and a possible meeting between Zelensky and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.