No Immediate Breakthrough In ‘Complex’ Ukraine Talks — Russia

Russia has tempered expectations for a quick resolution to the ongoing Ukraine conflict, describing the negotiations as “complex” and urging caution against anticipating immediate progress.

“It would be wrong to expect immediate solutions and breakthroughs,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday, a day after Moscow rejected Kyiv’s call for an unconditional ceasefire during talks in Istanbul.

The latest round of talks lasted under two hours and resulted in a large-scale prisoner exchange. Both sides also shared their peace proposals, known as “memorandums.”

Now in its fourth year, the conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives on both sides and displaced millions in eastern Ukraine. Despite occasional diplomatic efforts, the parties remain deeply divided on key issues.

According to Russian state media, Moscow has demanded that Ukraine withdraw forces from four eastern and southern regions that Russia claims to have annexed, making this a condition to pause its offensive. Instead of the full ceasefire Kyiv requested, Russia proposed a limited truce lasting two to three days in specific frontline areas.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha rejected Russia’s proposals, accusing Moscow of recycling “old ultimatums” and avoiding any “meaningful formats for a ceasefire.”

Peskov also dismissed the likelihood of a summit involving the presidents of Russia, Ukraine, and the United States anytime soon. “In the near future, it is unlikely,” he said, adding that such a meeting would only happen once negotiators reach an agreement.

Earlier, the White House had stated that U.S. President Donald Trump was “open” to such a summit—an idea also supported by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Meanwhile, tensions escalated on the battlefield. Zelensky accused Russia of intentionally targeting civilians in a missile strike on the city of Sumy, near the Russian border, which killed four people. “This attack says everything one needs to know about Russia’s so-called ‘desire’ to end this war,” Zelensky said, calling on the U.S. and Europe to take stronger action.

Among the 20 injured in the Sumy strike was a seven-year-old girl, who remains in critical condition, according to local authorities. Three more people were killed in a separate attack in the Kharkiv region.

Russia’s military claimed to have captured the village of Andriivka in the Sumy region, about five kilometers from the border. Zelensky recently warned that Moscow is preparing for a major offensive there, with roughly 50,000 Russian troops amassed in the area.

Ukraine’s SBU security service has claimed responsibility for an attack on a support pillar of the Crimean Bridge, which links the annexed peninsula to mainland Russia, using an underwater explosive device. The full extent of the damage is still unclear following the bridge’s temporary closure.

In Washington, a delegation of senior Ukrainian officials arrived for high-level talks with U.S. counterparts focusing on defense, economic aid, and the possibility of new sanctions against Russia.

Despite repeatedly stating he could quickly end the war if re-elected, President Trump has yet to impose additional sanctions on Moscow. Reports suggest his frustration with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin has grown as the conflict enters its fourth year without resolution.