Subhechcha Ganguly 
The latest round of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place on Monday at the historic Ciragan Palace in Turkey. The meeting, which lasted over an hour, marked the second round of in-person negotiations between the two nations in just over two weeks, as they seek to end the war that has now entered its third year.
The talks came just a day after a significant escalation in hostilities, with Ukraine launching a massive drone attack targeting Russian airbases. According to Ukraine’s Security Service, the strike destroyed over 40 Russian aircraft deep within Russian territory.
Leading the Ukrainian delegation was Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who confirmed that the two sides agreed on a new Prisoners of War (PoW) exchange, prioritizing severely injured individuals and young captives. The announcement was shared via a message from Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhvi on the Ukrainian Embassy’s WhatsApp group.
Despite the talks, fierce fighting continues along the 1,000-kilometer front line, with both nations engaging in deep strikes across each other’s territories.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that its air defenses intercepted 162 Ukrainian drones overnight across eight Russian regions and the annexed Crimean peninsula. In retaliation, Moscow launched a barrage of missiles and drones against Ukraine.
Ukraine’s air force stated it successfully intercepted 52 out of 80 Russian drones.
In a further escalation, two ballistic missiles struck Kharkiv on Monday morning, with one hitting near a school in a residential area, according to the city’s mayor.
