Overview

• Russian and Ukrainian delegations, led by Vladimir Medinsky and Rustem Umerov respectively, convene in Istanbul for their first direct talks in over three years.
• Neither President Vladimir Putin nor President Volodymyr Zelensky is attending, dampening prospects for significant progress.
• Ukraine prioritizes securing a ceasefire, while Russia seeks territorial and security guarantees as fighting continues across the 1,100 km frontline.
• Russia claims to have captured Novooleksandrivka and Torske, while Kyiv reports a fatal shelling in Kupiansk, underscoring ongoing hostilities.
• U.S. and Turkish officials are engaging with both delegations, but U.S. President Donald Trump asserts that meaningful progress requires a direct meeting between himself and Putin.