Ukraine, Russia Resume Istanbul Peace Talks Amid Tensions

Ukrainian and Russian delegations are meeting in Istanbul for a third round of peace talks, focusing on prisoner exchanges, the return of children abducted by Russia, and setting the stage for potential summit-level negotiations between President Zelensky and President Putin. Zelensky insists only direct talks with Putin can deliver progress, but the Kremlin has rejected such a meeting so far, demanding lower-level groundwork first. Previous rounds in May and June resulted only in limited agreements on prisoner exchanges and the return of fallen soldiers, with no ceasefire reached. Russia maintains hardline territorial demands and continues military operations, leading Ukrainian and Western officials to accuse Moscow of stalling to consolidate gains. The talks occur amid heightened US pressure, with President Trump threatening sanctions if Russia does not agree to a deal soon. Turkey continues to mediate, and President Erdogan has expressed readiness to host a leaders' summit with potential US participation.