The third round of peace talks in Istanbul between Russian and Ukrainian representatives, lasted less than an hour. Although there was no agreement on a ceasefire, both parties agreed to a new prisoner exchange that will include 1,200 people.
The Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, Rustem Umerov, stated that the priority remains the lives of citizens, the cessation of hostilities, and a possible meeting between presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin.
The war between Ukraine and Russia continues to escalate. Just hours after a brief round of peace talks in Istanbul, which concluded without significant progress toward a ceasefire, the two countries bombed each other.
While negotiations are limited to humanitarian exchanges, airstrikes, especially with drones, have intensified on both sides, claiming civilian lives and deepening the humanitarian crisis.
On Thursday, Russian forces launched a massive drone attack on the port of Odesa, on the Black Sea, leaving at least one dead, four injured, and multiple fires in the city's historic center, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
One of the targets hit was the famous Pryvoz market, a cultural symbol of the city. According to regional governor Oleh Kiper, one person was found dead under the rubble of an apartment building.
Uno de los objetivos de la campaña rusa de bombardeo fue el puerto ucraniano de Odessa
Both sides exchange blows
In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, two people died and at least 33 were injured after Russian guided bombs struck a residential area.
In addition, in the Sumy region, which borders Russia, one person died in a drone attack, while in Cherkasy, a nighttime attack injured seven people and damaged more than a dozen residential buildings.
In response, Ukraine has intensified its own attacks on Russian territory. In Russia's Krasnodar region, near Sochi, debris from a downed drone killed a woman and seriously injured another.
It was also reported that a drone struck an oil base in the Sirius federal district. Russian authorities temporarily suspended operations at Sochi airport for security reasons.
However, the Ukrainian proposal for a summit between both leaders was not accepted by the Kremlin. Russia's demands include unacceptable conditions for Ukraine such as recognizing the Russian annexation of Crimea and the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, among others.
El gobierno de Putin le puso pausa a los intentos por buscar una salida pacífica al conflicto
Peace seems distant
Zelensky reiterated that Crimea is an integral part of Ukraine and demanded lasting security guarantees to prevent future invasions.
Negotiations are taking place under increasing pressure from President Donald Trump, who has threatened Putin with severe tariffs if a ceasefire is not reached within 50 days.
Trump also announced that the United States will send more weapons to Ukraine through NATO and promised to press with secondary sanctions if a peace agreement is not achieved.
In a recent interview, Zelensky expressed his frustration with the lack of progress and urged Washington to exert more pressure to curb Russian aggression. Meanwhile, fighting continues and the hope for a peaceful solution seems, for now, distant.
Trump amenazó a Rusia con aranceles al sector petrolero si no cede en los ataques a civiles
