Russia and Ukraine discussed further prisoner swaps on Wednesday at a brief session of peace talks in Istanbul, but the sides remained far apart on ceasefire terms and a possible meeting of their leaders.

Ukrainian military loses first French Mirage fighter jet in crash ahead of peace talks - No casualties recorded in Kyiv’s first loss of a Mirage jet since Ukraine’s military started receiving them thi

Russia is open to peace with Ukraine, but achieving its goals remains a priority, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday, days after U.S. President Donald Trump gave Moscow a 50-day deadline to agree to a ceasefire or face tougher sanctions.

Another attempt at peace talks between Ukraine and Russia is on the horizon amid Russia's continuous assault on Ukraine. Russian drone and missile strikes killed at least two people and injured 15 others in Kyiv just hours before the United Kingdom and Germany will hold a meeting to discuss President Trump's plan for NATO allies to provide weapons for Ukraine.

When Russian and Ukrainian peace negotiators met last month, they could agree on little more than exchanging bodies. Those negotiations, brokered by the Trump administration, appeared to show its goal of ending the war was deeply stalled.

Putin’s refusal to compromise on Ukraine, say analysts, is a colossal error costing Russia regional influence, lucrative energy markets and its place in the world.