Ukraine, Russia Hold First Direct Talks in Three Years, No Ceasefire Reached

After more than three years, Ukraine and Russia held their first direct talks in Istanbul under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, but failed to agree on a ceasefire. The brief meeting ended without a truce, as Russia presented demands that Ukraine described as unrealistic and requiring territorial withdrawals, which Kyiv and its Western allies rejected. Both sides agreed to a prisoner exchange involving 1,000 captives each, the largest yet. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy immediately consulted with Western leaders, urging them to impose stronger sanctions on Russia if it refused to accept a 30-day ceasefire proposal backed by Trump. British and European officials condemned Russia's position as unacceptable and signaled close alignment with Ukraine and the U.S. in response. Turkish officials called on both parties to choose peace over continued conflict, highlighting the critical crossroads facing the negotiations.