Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky calls Trump after Moscow and Kyiv agree to 1000-prisoner swap

Key Points

• Zelensky and European leaders phone Trump after Turkey talks
• Russia and Ukraine agree to swap 1,000 prisoners each, Moscow says
• Russia and Ukraine sit down for first peace talks in three years
• Trump says he will meet Putin as soon as possible
• Recap: What happened on Friday, a turbulent day for peace in Ukraine?

'They will not stop': Ukrainian troops share doubts over peace

Speaking to Reuters news agency before an exchange of artillery fire with Russian forces, 26-year-old Roman - who uses the call sign "Cowboy" - said he had little faith Moscow would agree to a demand from Kyiv and Western states for a 30-day ceasefire.

"At the moment peace is not possible," Roman said. "We are certain that the enemy is not going to stop. Our task, as soldiers, is to hold our positions, keep on fighting, not to give up."

The group of soldiers commanded by Roman - who did not give his full name in line with Ukrainian military protocol - was dug into woodland in Ukraine's Donetsk region, which is largely controlled by Russian forces.

One of Roman's men, Serhii, said when asked if he saw a prospect of a ceasefire: "No hope."

"Because there was a lot of conversation before. No results," said Serhii, a 36-year-old with the callsign Steward. "I just do my work. For our victory, to stop the war."

Watch: Trump says 'nothing will happen' in Ukraine peace talks until he meets Putin

Ukraine diplomat accuses Russia of making 'unacceptable demands'

A senior Ukrainian official has accused Russia of introducing “unacceptable demands” that had not been previously raised, following the first direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in years.

The official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to make official statements, said Russia made demands that had not been previously discussed, including calling for Ukraine to withdraw from large areas of Ukrainian-controlled territory.

The Ukrainian delegate said it seemed as if the Russian delegation "deliberately wants to throw nonstarters on the table in order to walk away from today's meeting without any results".

The meeting in Turkey is the first direct negotiation between Russia and Ukraine since 2022, and the Ukrainian official said Kyiv’s delegation was prepared to "achieve a lot today".

EU working on Russia sanctions package - Von der Leyen

The EU is working to issue a new sanctions package on Russia, commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said.

However, diplomats say it is becoming increasingly difficult to gain unanimity regarding new sanctions packages. The EU has already adopted 17, the latest being this week.

Speaking about Vladimir Putin during the European Political Community summit in Albania, Ms von der Leyen said: "He does not want peace, so we have to increase the pressure, and this is why we are working on a new package of sanctions.

"This package will include for instance sanctions on Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. It will include working on listing more vessels of the Russian shadow fleet and also lowering the oil price cap, and also more sanctions on the financial sector in Russia."

Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, each consisting of two pipes, were built by Russia's state-controlled Gazprom to pump natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. They were ruptured by a series of blasts in 2022.

"Massive" sanctions European leaders have threatened over the past days would need US support to succeed, officials added.

European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen and Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky in Albania (AFP via Getty Images)

In pictures: Zelensky joins European leaders for major summit

The summit was hosted by Edi Rama, prime minister of Albania (EPA)

Zelensky demanded stronger action on Russia during the summit (AFP via Getty Images)

EU leaders stand for a doorstep photo (REUTERS)

Leaders of Ukraine, Poland, the UK, France, and Germany lean around a phone call with Donald Trump (Bundesregierung via Getty Images)

Moscow and Kyiv teams agree in principle to meet again for ceasefire talks

Ukrainian and Russian officials who met in Istanbul on Friday agreed in principle to meet again for negotiations aimed at reaching a ceasefire, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said.

“As a result of the meeting, they agreed to exchange one thousand people from each country as a confidence-building measure,” Mr Fidan wrote on X.

“They also agreed to share with the other side in writing the conditions that would make it possible to reach a ceasefire.

“The parties also agreed in principle to meet again.”

A Ukrainian delegation, led by Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov (via REUTERS)

Recap: What happened on Friday, a turbulent day for peace in Ukraine?

If you’re just joining us, here’s all you need to know about a rollercoaster day of diplomacy in eastern Europe:

Testy start to the day in Istanbul…

• Early this morning, the foreign ministers of Ukraine, the US and Turkey held talks in Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace, discussions which were supposed to immediately precede Ukraine-Russia-Turkey talks.
• Ukraine accused them of ‘undermining’ the talks by demanding that US and Turkish representatives do not partake on Friday. Meanwhile the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, held an unexpected meeting with a US government official.
• The talks begin around one hour late. It wasn’t long before a Ukrainian source said Russia is making demands which are “detached from reality”, and a senior official said Moscow made “unacceptable demands” that had not previously been raised.
• Mr Medinsky later says that Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of war each in the coming days.

750 kilometres west of the peace talks…

• Volodymyr Zelensky met dozens of EU leaders for a major summit in Tirana, Albania. He called for a “strong reaction” if Russia did not agree to a ceasefire.
• After the peace talks in Istanbul concluded, Mr Zelensky, along with the leaders of the UK, France, Germany and Poland, held a phone call with Donald Trump.
• Sir Keir Starmer said that the group of European leaders agreed with Mr Zelensky that Russia’s position was “unacceptable”, and that this had been conveyed to the US president.

Elsewhere…

• Earlier in the day, Donald Trump had discussed the prospect of meeting Vladimir Putin, which he yesterday said was necessary for progress in Ukraine peace talks. They will be held “as soon as we can set it up”, he claimed.
• Other meetings were held in Istanbul. Ukrainian officials met senior US, French British and German aides, while US secretary of state Marco Rubio met the national security advisers of the UK, France and Germany.
• Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV has offered the Vatican for future peace talks, according to Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

The Russia-Ukraine meeting began around one hour after the scheduled start time (EPA)

Trump says he will meet Putin as soon as possible - ICYMI

Donald Trump has said he will meet Russian president Vladimir Putin “as soon as he can”, adding that it is “time for us to just do it” when asked about ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

Speaking from a business summit in the United Arab Emirates this morning, Trump said he knew Vladimir Putin would not have gone to the meeting set for Turkey today.

“I said, you know, they all said Putin was going, Zelensky was going. And I said, If I don't go, I guarantee Putin [won’t be] going,” Trump said.

“I understand that …. we're going to get it done. We’ve got to get it done. 5000 young people are being killed every single week on average, and we're going to get it done.”

Asked when he thought he would meet up with Putin, Trump said: “As soon as we can set it up.”

“I was going to, I would actually leave here and go” he said, but said he also wanted to see his newborn grandson.

Starmer: European leaders agree Russia's position 'unacceptable'

Sir Keir Starmer has said that European leaders agree with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s stance that Russia’s position in peace talks was “unacceptable”.

The British prime minister made his comments in a brief joint statement with French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish prime minister Donald Tusk at a European Political Community in Albania.

Sir Keir added that the leades had conveyed this position to president Donald Trump in a phone call.

"The Russian position is clearly unacceptable, and not for the first time," he said.

"And so as a result of that meeting with President Zelensky and the discussion with President Trump, we are now closely aligning and coordinating our responses and will continue to do so.”

From left: Poland's prime minister Donald Tusk, France's president Emmanuel Macron, Sir Keir Starmer and Germany's chancellor Friedrich Merz (AFP via Getty Images)

Full quotes from head of Russia's delegation after Istanbul talks

Kyiv ready to take 'fastest possible steps' for peace, says Zelensky

Ukraine is ready to take the “fastest possible steps to bring real peace”, Volodymyr Zelensky has said on X.

“Spoke with @POTUS together with President Macron, Federal Chancellor Merz, Prime Ministers Starmer and Tusk. We discussed the meeting in Istanbul,” he wrote, along with a picture of the leaders leaning around a phone.

“Ukraine is ready to take the fastest possible steps to bring real peace, and it is important that the world holds a strong stance.

“Our position — if the Russians reject a full and unconditional ceasefire and an end to killings, tough sanctions must follow. Pressure on Russia must be maintained until Russia is ready to end the war,” he added.

Russia and Ukraine agree to swap 1,000 prisoners of war each, Moscow delegation says

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of war each in the coming days, Moscow’s delegation has claimed, one of the largest such swaps since the conflict began.

Vladimir Medinsky, head of the delegation, added that Moscow was satisfied with the results and was ready to keep talking with Kyiv.

Zelensky and European leaders phone Trump after Turkey talks

Volodymyr Zelensky and a number of key European leaders held a phone call with US president Donald Trump on Friday after the conclusion of the Istanbul talks, the Ukrainian president’s spokesperson said.

Sir Keir Starmer, French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish prime minister Donald Tusk were involved in the phone call.

Details of the conversation will follow soon, the spokesperson added.

Ukraine requested Zelensky-Putin talks in Istanbul, says Russian delegation

Ukraine requested a meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin during talks in Istanbul, the Russian delegation as confirmed.

Putin declined the Ukrainian president’s offer of a face-to-face meeting this week, instead sending a low-level delegation to meet with a Kyiv team.

Pope Leo XIV offers Vatican as venue for Russia-Ukraine talks

Pope Leo XIV has proposed the Vatican as a venue for Russia-Ukrainian negotiations after talks in Istanbul failed to bear fruit, according to the Vatican’s secretary of state.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin described the outcome of the Turkey talks as “tragic”.

"It's all tragic because we hoped that a process would begin, perhaps slowly, but with a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Instead, we are back to square one," he said on the sidelines of an event dedicated to the Istanbul summit, Italian newspaper La Stampa.

"Now we will see what to do, but the situation is very difficult, dramatic," Card Parolin added.

If necessary, the Pope will “provide the Vatican, the Holy See, for a direct meeting between the two sides".

Cardinal Parolin, second from right, was speaking at an event dedicated to the Istanbul summit (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

'They will not stop': Ukrainian troops share doubts over peace

Speaking to Reuters news agency before an exchange of artillery fire with Russian forces, 26-year-old Roman - who uses the call sign "Cowboy" - said he had little faith Moscow would agree to a demand from Kyiv and Western states for a 30-day ceasefire.

"At the moment peace is not possible," Roman said. "We are certain that the enemy is not going to stop. Our task, as soldiers, is to hold our positions, keep on fighting, not to give up."

The group of soldiers commanded by Roman - who did not give his full name in line with Ukrainian military protocol - was dug into woodland in Ukraine's Donetsk region, which is largely controlled by Russian forces.

One of Roman's men, Serhii, said when asked if he saw a prospect of a ceasefire: "No hope."

"Because there was a lot of conversation before. No results," said Serhii, a 36-year-old with the callsign Steward. "I just do my work. For our victory, to stop the war."

Ukraine diplomat accuses Russia of making 'unacceptable demands'

A senior Ukrainian official has accused Russia of introducing “unacceptable demands” that had not been previously raised, following the first direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in years.

The official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to make official statements, said Russia made demands that had not been previously discussed, including calling for Ukraine to withdraw from large areas of Ukrainian-controlled territory.

The Ukrainian delegate said it seemed as if the Russian delegation "deliberately wants to throw nonstarters on the table in order to walk away from today's meeting without any results".

The meeting in Turkey is the first direct negotiation between Russia and Ukraine since 2022, and the Ukrainian official said Kyiv’s delegation was prepared to "achieve a lot today".

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha and members of Ukrainian delegation were at the meeting (EPA)

Zelensky says 'Trump wants to end this war'

Volodymyr Zelensky said Donald Trump “wants to end the war”, and called on more US support to secure peace.

“President Trump wants to end this war. We need to keep working closely with him and stay as coordinated as possible,” Zelensky said.

“Long-term US support is also essential. An American backstop is needed. It’s important that we all work together, on every level, to make that happen. I thank everyone who is helping.”

Zelensky says peace in Europe depends on peace in Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky said “the world must respond” if it becomes clear the Russian delegation in Turkey had “no real authority” to agree to a ceasefire deal, and reiterated that Ukraine was ready for the war to end.

Sharing more comments on social media after addressing world leaders at a summit in Albania, Zelensky said: “This war must end — and it must end justly. Ukraine needs peace. Peace in Europe depends on whether Ukraine will get it.

“Our number-one priority is a full, unconditional, and honest ceasefire. This must happen immediately to stop the killing and create a solid basis for diplomacy.”

Zelensky said the “low-level” delegation sent to Turkey showed that Vladimir Putin wanted the negotiations to be a “staged, empty process”.

(Getty Images)

Pope Leo says peace must be built on truth

The new Pope Leo XIV said “Peace cannot be built apart from truth”, in posts on social media as news the Russian and Ukrainian meeting had ended.

“Working for peace requires acting justly. Every effort should be made to overcome global inequalities, which allow opulence and destitution to carve deep divides between continents, countries, and even within individual societies,” he wrote on X.

Pope Leo said peace must be built on truth (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Meeting between Russia and Ukraine ends

Talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul on Friday have finished after around two hours, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source said, after their first direct peace talks in more than three years of war.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the head of the MIT intelligence agency, Ibrahim Kalin, also attended the talks.

After it concluded, Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X: “This week, we had a real chance to move toward ending the war — if only Putin hadn’t been afraid to come to Türkiye. I was there ready for a direct meeting with him to resolve all key issues. He didn’t agree to anything.”

Russian demands 'detatched from reality', Ukrainian source says

Russia’s demands amid ceasefire negotiations are “detached from reality” and go beyond anything they have previously discussed, a Ukrainian diplomatic source said on Friday, describing talks between representatives of the two countries in Istanbul.

"Russian demands are detached from reality and go far beyond anything that was previously discussed. They include ultimatums for Ukraine to withdraw from its territory for a ceasefire and other non-starters and non-constructive conditions," the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

"Ukraine is ready for a real ceasefire and further genuine peace process without any preconditions."

Starmer warns 'Putin must pay the price' if Russia won't negotiate

While Russian and Ukrainian delegations continue to talk in Turkey, Sir Keir Starmer has warned that Vladimir Putin will face tougher sanctions if Moscow won’t negotiate.

Earlier, EU commision president Usula von der Leyen said the bloc was working on further sanctions packages.

Sir Keir said Ukraine’s allies must back Kyiv, and be willing to follow through on the ultimatum issued last week that Russia would face “massive” sanctions if it did not agree to an almost immediate 30-day ceasefire.

“Having issued that ultimatum, we must be prepared to follow through. Because if Russia won’t come to the negotiating table, Putin must pay the price,” the prime minister said.

Starmer says lasting peace the 'most urgent challenge' at EU summit

Sir Keir Starmer says securing a lasting peace in Ukraine is “the most urgent challenge” facing leaders at today’s EU summit.

The prime minister also reiterated that Vladimir Putin was “not serious” about peace while addressing the meeting.

Sir Keir sitting next to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (Getty Images)

EU working on Russia sanctions package - Von der Leyen

The EU is working to issue a new sanctions package on Russia, commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said.

However, diplomats say it is becoming increasingly difficult to gain unanimity regarding new sanctions packages. The EU has already adopted 17, the latest being this week.

Speaking about Vladimir Putin during the European Political Community summit in Albania, Ms von der Leyen said: "He does not want peace, so we have to increase the pressure, and this is why we are working on a new package of sanctions.

"This package will include for instance sanctions on Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. It will include working on listing more vessels of the Russian shadow fleet and also lowering the oil price cap, and also more sanctions on the financial sector in Russia."

Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, each consisting of two pipes, were built by Russia's state-controlled Gazprom to pump natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. They were ruptured by a series of blasts in 2022.

"Massive" sanctions European leaders have threatened over the past days would need US support to succeed, officials added.

Full, unconditional ceasefire is Ukraine's number one priority - Zelensky

A full and unconditional ceasefire is Ukraine’s number one priority, Volodymyr Zelensky has told world leaders at the EU summit in Albania.

"Our number one priority is a full, unconditional and honest ceasefire. This must happen immediately to stop the killing and create a solid basis for diplomacy,” he said.

Zelensky demands 'strong reaction' if Russia does not agree ceasefire in Istanbul

If it turns out that the Russian delegation is just “theatrical” and without the authority to make decisions, Volodymyr Zelensky says, there must be a “strong reaction” from the world.

He calls for sanctions on Russia’s energy sector and banks, saying pressure must rise until real progress is raise.

“I call on Putin to give his delegation real authority,” he added.

Mr Zelensky is speaking at a meeting of dozens of EU countries (AFP via Getty Images)

Zelensky: If Russia doesn't agree to ceasefire today, Putin is undermining diplomacy

Volodymyr Zelensky has discussed the ongoing talks in Istanbul, speaking at the European Community Political Summit in Albania.

He tells the leaders of dozens of European countries that the Russian delegation is of a “very low level” of people who don’t have the authority to make any decisions in Russia.

“If the Russian reps in Istanbul today cannot even agree to a ceasefire, this clearly necessary first step, then it will be 100 per cent clear that Putin continues to undermine diplomacy.”

There must be at least some kind of result, such as a ceasefire, agreed today, he added.

Zelensky meets EU leaders in Albania

Let’s move over from Istanbul to the Albanian capital of Tirana, where dozens of European leaders have been joined by Volodymyr Zelensky at the European Political Community summit.

Ukraine is expected to dominate the agenda, as European countries look to bolster the continents security on the eastern border.

Mr Zelensky and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who held a bilateral meeting on Thursday, have both flown west for the summit.

Mr Zelensky is greeted by Albanian prime minister Edi Rama (REUTERS)

Explosions in Dnipro minutes after missile alert in region

While Turkish mediators were scrambling to bring Russian and Ukrainian delegations around the table this morning, Russian attacks on Ukraine did not let up.

Explosions were reported in the eastern Ukrainian city of Snipro by national broadcaster Suspilne on Friday, as an air alert covered the region.

The Ukrainian air force had warned of a missile in the Dnipropetrovsk region minutes before the blasts were reported.

In pictures: Russia-Ukraine talks begin in Istanbul

Moscow has sent a low-level delegation, led by Putin aide Vladimir Medinsky (EPA)

Ukraine's higher-level delegation is led by defence minister Rustem Umerov (EPA)

What can actually happen at Turkey peace talks after Putin and Trump’s snub?

The chances of a breakthrough for peace in Ukraine have dropped after Moscow sent a low-level team to negotiate with a Kyiv delegation in Turkey.

Two days ago, the prospect of a three-way meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin had raised hopes of a major step forward in the negotiations.

But then, the Kremlin revealed that Putin wouldn’t be attending and the Russian delegation would instead be led by his aide, Vladimir Medinsky. Soon afterwards, Trump confirmed he would not be travelling to Istanbul - and said there will be no peace in Ukraine before he and Mr Putin “get together”.

Read the full story of the week leading up to the peace talks, and what to expect from them:

What is being discussed in the Russia-Ukraine meeting?

Exactly what the Russian and Ukrainian delegations are currently discussing is unclear.

We know from comments by Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s defence minister who is heading up its Istanbul delegation, that a 30-day ceasefire is a priority for Ukraine.

The return of all abducted children and an all-for-all prisoner-of-war swap are also necessary, he said in a post on Facebook.

Moscow, meanwhile, has said it wants to end the war - but has repeatedly rejected calls for a 30-day ceasefire, saying its demands have not been met.

What those demands include isn’t entirely clear, but Moscow has said a ceasefire would be used to pause to rest its forces, mobilise extra troops and acquire more western weapons.

Mapped: Territory Ukraine stands to lose in peace talks

Breaking: Russia and Ukraine sit down for first peace talks in three years

Teams from Russia and Ukraine have sat down for the first round of peace talks since March 2022, weeks after Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan is chairing the talks and is giving some opening remarks.

“We have been working hard to bring an end to this war, and Ukrainian president’s visit to Ankara yesterday has actually brought more energy into peace negotiations,” Mr Fidan said.

“For us to progress on the path of peace we have to use each and every opportunity. Every day gone past there are more losses of life, and more atrocities and that doesn’t help anybody.

“So it is very important to have a truce and also to have a permanent ceasefire.

He added: “Now we have an opportunity we need to make use of. From now on it is very important what type of choice we make, what steps we take, and how we determine what steps we take.”

(Sky News)

Pictured: Vehicle carrying Russian delegation pulls up outside Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace

The talks between Russia and Ukraine are due to begin any moment (REUTERS)

Russia-Ukraine talks to begin shortly - Turkish source

Talks between Russia and Ukraine are due to begin shortly, a source from the Turkish foreign ministry has said.

The teams from Kyiv and Moscow, led by Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov and Putin aide Vladimir Medinsky, have reportedly arrived at the Dolmabahce Palace, the former residence for Ottoman sultans where talks are taking place.

A last-minute snag - in which Ukraine accused Moscow of demanding that Turkish and US representatives not join the talks - appears to have been dealt with.

Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan is set to chair the talks, while Russia’s RIA news agency reported that the head of Turkish intelligence, İbrahim Kalin, would also join the talks.

It has not been confirmed whether Michael Anton, who according to the BBC was due to be the US representative, will be part of the talks.

Ukrainian and Russian delegations arrive for Istanbul talks

Vladimir Medinsky, the head of Russia’s delegation in Istanbul, has arrived at the location of peace talks with Ukraine, Russia’s RIA news agency has reported.

Ukrainian officials have also reportedly arrived for the talks.

It comes despite Ukraine’s claims that Moscow is “undermining” peace efforts by demanding last-minute that representatives from US and Turkey are not part of the talks. It is unclear who will be in the room for the talks.

Stay with us for all the key updates.

Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky speaks to reporters in Turkey (Getty)

Putin-Trump meeting essential but needs preparation - Kremlin

A meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump is essential but requires advance preparation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

He was commenting after Trump said he would meet Putin "as soon as we can set it up".

Mr Peskov said such a meeting was essential to discuss Russia-US ties, Ukraine and other international issues.

But he added that it must yield results.

Head of Ukraine delegation: We are here to find 'real paths' to peace

Rustem Umerov, the Ukrainian defence minister who is heading Kyiv’s delegation for talks in Istanbul, has said peace is only possible if Russia agrees to a 30-day ceasefire.

The return of all abducted children and an all-for-all prisoner-of-war swap are also necessary, he added.

Mr Umerov wrote on Facebook that the Ukrainian delegation had come to the meeting to find "real paths to a sustainable and just peace."

Mr Umerov, second from the left, met with aides from the UK, France and Germany on Friday morning (Andrii Yermak/X)

Russia demanding that US and Turkey not part of talks - Ukrainian source

Russia is demanding that talks between Kyiv and Moscow take place without US and Turkish representatives, according to a Ukrainian diplomatic source.

This shows Moscow is “undermining the peace effort” the source added.

Moscow’s demands are likely to be the topic of discussion between Vladimir Medinsky and a US government official, who are currently meeting in an Istanbul hotel, according to Reuters.

"Yet another sign of the Russian side undermining the peace effort. We came to have a serious conversation, while (the) Russians are putting forward demands, conditions. This makes us doubt whether (Russian President Vladimir) Putin sent them to solve issues or just stall the process," the source said on condition of anonymity.

"There is only one reason for the Russians to be afraid of having the U.S. in the room - they came to stall the process, not solve issues, and they want to hide this from the United States."

Head of Russian delegation meets with US official

Vladimir Medinsky, the head of Russia's delegation for peace talks with Ukraine, has reportedly arrived for a meeting with a US government official at a hotel in Istanbul, according to a Reuters witness.

The meeting is set to precede the peace talks between Russia and Urkaine - which were originally scheduled to begin at 12:30 local time (10:30 BST).

Turkey Russia Ukraine War (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Immediate ceasefire will be priority in Istanbul talks - Kyiuv

Ukraine will make securing a ceasefire a priority in expected talks with a Russian delegation in Istanbul on Friday, a Ukrainian diplomatic source said told Reuters.

Ukrainian negotiators would also raise the possibility of a face-to-face meeting between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian president Vladimir Putin, the source added.

"We understand that for any diplomacy to be resultative, there needs to be a ceasefire. Real, durable and well-monitored," the source said. "There also needs to be humanitarian confidence-building measures, such as the return of Ukrainian children, detained civilians, (and the) exchange of prisoners of war on the all-for-all basis."

US officials to speak with Russian negotiators before Ukraine talks

US officials will speak with Russian negotiators before they engage in talks with their Ukrainian counterparts, Russian state news agency Tass has reported.

The talks were scheduled to begin at 12:30 local time (10:30am BST).

Three killed in Russian attacks over past day - regional authorities

Russian forces killed at least three civilians and injured 15 more over the past day, according to Ukrainian authorities.

In the hours before a Moscow delegation was set to meet its Kyiv counterparts, Russia fired 112 drones at Ukraine, 73 of which were shot down.

One person was killed and six were injured in Ukraine’s Donetsk region and another was killed and five injured in the Kharkiv region, The Kyiv Independent cited regional authorities as saying.

Another civilian was killed in the Kherson region, where three high-rise buildings and seven houses were damaged.

More pictures emerge from US-Ukraine-Turkey meeting

US secretary of state Marco Rubio is at the talks - but will not be part of the talks involving Russia (EPA)

The talks began at around 9am BST (EPA)

Zelensky arrives in Albania for major EU summit

A meeting of EU leaders is underway in Albania, where the war in Ukraine is set to dominate the agenda.

Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Albania for the European Political Community Summit, which will also be attended by the leaders of France, Germany and Britain.

Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, also present, said that it is a good thing that the Ukrainians have come to the negotiating table in Istanbul and added that Russian President Vladimir now has to play ball.

"All the pressure is on him," Rutte said, speaking at a meeting of EU leaders in Albania. He added that Putin had made a mistake by sending a low-level delegation to talks in Turkey.

Other topics at the summit will include security, democracy, migration and EU enlargement.

Volodymyr Zelensky speaking to reporters in Thursday’s press conference in Ankara, Turkey, after a meeting with president Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Getty Images)

Ukrainian officials meet senior US, French, British and German aides in Istanbul

Senior Ukrainian officials held a meeting in Istanbul on Friday with US envoy Keith Kellogg and senior aides to the French, British and German leaders, Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said on social media.

Mr Yermak attended the meeting along with foreign minister Andriy Sybiha and defence minister Rustem Umerov - the latter of whom is due to be part of Ukraine’s delegation for talks with Russia.

Recap: How hopes for Turkey peace talks have been dashed

One week ago today, nobody foresaw that we may see the first direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine today.

While they have not yet begun, a time has now been scheduled: 12:30pm local time (10:30am BST).

It began last weekend, when Vladimir Putin called for direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in Turkey on Thursday - talks which did not take place.

Volodymyr Zelensky upped the ante, offering to meet Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump face-to-face in a three way meeting in Istanbul. Moscow confirmed that the Russian president would not attend the talks.

This prompted Mr Zelensky to blast the Moscow delegation - led by Putin aide Vladimir Medinsky - as “low-level” and “stand-in props”.

Donald Trump told reporters that progress in Ukrainian peace talks is unlikely before he meets with Putin. Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, said the US does not have “high expectations” for the talks.

On Thursday, Mr Zelensky said a delegation led by defence minister Rustem Umerov would be sent to Ukraine. Kyiv had hoped Washington would note that Ukraine appears to be taking the talks more seriously - but there has been no such acknowledgement.

Today, it appears Istanbul talks may now be getting underway. A US-Ukraine-Turkey meeting began at around 9am BST, with the Russia-Ukraine talks scheduled for 10:30am.

We’ll bring you all the latest updates throughout the day.