The second round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine ended barely an hour after they began in Istanbul.
The talks - the second such direct contacts between the sides since 2022 - had already begun nearly two hours later than scheduled with no explanation of the delay.
The mood in Russia was angry as the talks kicked off, with influential war bloggers calling on Moscow to deliver a fearsome retaliatory blow against Kyiv after Ukraine launched one of its most ambitious attacks of the war, targeting Russian nuclear-capable long-range bombers in Siberia and elsewhere.
Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking in Lithuania, later said the two sides were preparing a new exchange of prisoners of war.
His chief of staff also said the Ukrainian delegation had handed over a list of deported children to Russia during Monday's talks that Ukraine wants returned home.
The first round of talks on 16 May yielded the biggest prisoner swap of the war but no sign of peace – or even a ceasefire as both sides merely set out their opening negotiating positions.
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Key Points
- Ukraine-Russia peace talks end after barely an hour
- Zelensky says Kyiv and Moscow working on new POW exchange
- Russian attacks kill five, injure more ahead of peace talks
- Dozens of Russian warplanes destroyed in Ukrainian drone attack, claims Kyiv
- Zelensky says attack on Putin's warplanes 'will go in history books'
Erdogan: Turkey to take steps to arrange Putin-Zelensky meeting
16:00
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Jabed Ahmed
Turkey will take steps to bring together the leaders of Russia and Ukraine for talks in either the capital Ankara or in Istanbul, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has said.
"My desire is to bring Putin and Zelensky together in Istanbul or Ankara. Also to invite (US President Donald) Trump to this meeting as well...We will take steps for this meeting after the latest talks," Erdogan said, speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara.
Ukraine and Russia agree major POW swap
15:45
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Jabed Ahmed
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who headed Kyiv's delegation, announced after the talks that a new prisoner exchange had been agreed to follow up on the biggest prisoner swap of the war brokered at the last round of talks.
He said the new exchange would focus on those severely injured in the war and on young people.
“We agreed to exchange all-for-all seriously wounded and seriously sick prisoners of war. The second category is young soldiers who are from 18 to 25 years old - all-for-all. Also we agreed to return 6,000 to 6,000 bodies of fallen soldiers,” Umerov said.
Russia handed Ukraine a memo on terms for ceasefire, Kremlin aide says
15:34
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russian negotiators handed a detailed memorandum to their Ukrainian counterparts outlining Moscow's terms for a full ceasefire, Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky told reporters after talks in Istanbul.
Mr Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, also said Russia had suggested a ceasefire of two to three days in certain areas.
Kyiv: All key issues at Ukraine-Russia talks could be resolved at leadership level
15:11
,
Jabed Ahmed
Ukraine believes that all key issues at talks with Russia can only be resolved at the level of leaders and proposes holding a meeting by the end of June to make progress, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a direct meeting with Vladimir Putin.
Nato east flank nations say they back Ukraine membership
14:59
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Jabed Ahmed
Nordic, Baltic and central European Nato members are committed to Ukrainian membership of the military alliance, the leaders of Poland, Romania and Lithuania said.
Nato allies declared their support for Ukraine's "irreversible path" towards membership at last year's Washington summit.
But Donald Trump has since said that prior US support for Ukraine's Nato bid was a cause of the war and has further indicated that Ukraine will not get membership.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's conditions for ending the war in Ukraine include a demand that Western leaders pledge in writing to stop enlarging Nato eastwards, and lift a chunk of sanctions on Russia.
Poland, Romania and Lithuania said on Monday, after a meeting of Nordic, Baltic and Eastern European leaders in the capital of Lithuania, that the region remains committed to the path towards Ukrainian NATO membership, and called for further pressure on Russia, including more sanctions.
Zelensky says Kyiv and Moscow working on new POW exchange
14:31
,
Jabed Ahmed
Ukraine and Russia are working on a fresh exchange of prisoners of war, Volodymyr Zelensky said after peace talks concluded between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul.
The Ukrainian president was speaking in the Lithuanian capital, where he was attending a meeting of central European and Nordic states.
Ukraine-Russia peace talks end after barely an hour, Turkish officials say
14:29
,
Jabed Ahmed
The second round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine ended barely an hour after they began in Istanbul.
The talks - the second such direct contact between the sides since 2022 - had already begun nearly two hours later than scheduled with no explanation of the delay.
Ukraine says it hands Russia list of children it wants returned
14:25
,
Jabed Ahmed
Ukrainian delegates in Istanbul have handed over to Russian negotiators a list of children Kyiv wants Moscow to return to Ukraine, the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said.
Ukrainian officials say hundreds of children were forcibly removed from Ukrainian territory by Russian forces, and it wants them returned as part of a peace deal. Moscow says the children were moved to protect them from fighting.
Analysis | Inside Operation Spiderweb: Ukraine’s drone triumph is a blow against Russia that will spook friend and foe alike
13:57
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Jabed Ahmed
The success of Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, which destroyed more than 40 Russian bombers, will have caused delight and terror in the hearts of Kyiv’s allies, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley.
The homegrown operation to hide drones in the false compartments of prefabricated sheds and unleash them simultaneously many thousands of miles apart, and many thousands of miles behind enemy lines, has clipped the wings of Vladimir Putin’s strategic air operations.
Read the full analysis below:
Bulletin | Trump wasn’t given notice about Ukraine attack on Russian planes, report claims
13:38
,
Jabed Ahmed
13:15
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Jabed Ahmed
Pictured | Inside the room where the peace talks are taking place
13:15
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russians and Ukrainians to discuss requirements for peace, Turkey says
13:01
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Jabed Ahmed
Russian and Ukrainian negotiators will discuss their requirements for peace in their face-to-face meeting in Istanbul on Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said.
Fidan, hosting the second round of direct peace discussions between the sides since 2022, said as he opened the meeting that the dialogue can reduce differences between the sides and move them closer to peace.
The Russian and Ukrainian delegations faced each other at separate tables in the room at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, with Fidan and other Turkish officials at a center table, Reuters footage showed.
Watch live: Zelensky and Rutte hold press conference as Ukraine and Russia peace talks take place
13:00
,
Jabed Ahmed
Zelensky: Russia must feel what its losses mean
12:49
,
Jabed Ahmed
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Europe and the US have “better weapons” and “stronger tactical solutions” than Russia.
He said his “spiderweb” operation is proof of this. Kyiv claimed the drone attack destroyed over 40 Russian warplanes.
“Russia must feel what its losses mean. That is what will push it toward diplomacy,” he said in a post on X.
Mr Zelensky also issued a warning about potential Russian aggression via Belarus this summer, urging allies to assess the threat and act in unity.
“Ask your intelligence – what is Russia planning this summer in Belarus? If they’re bold enough to prepare attacks from there, then we need more strength – together,” he said.
He added: “Right now, that means strengthening Ukraine – so we can stop this war and prevent it from spreading. That’s why weapons production matters.”
Speaking from Vilnius following a summit with the Bucharest Nine and Nordic countries, Mr Zelensky thanked European partners.
Talks begin
12:49
,
Jabed Ahmed
The peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have begun.
We will bring you the latest developments.
12:33
,
Jabed Ahmed
In pictures | Ukraine fires anti-aircraft cannon towards Russian drone
12:19
,
Jabed Ahmed
German government was not informed of Ukrainian drone attack against Russia
11:59
,
Jabed Ahmed
The German government was not informed ahead of time of a Ukrainian drone attack striking targets deep within Russia, a government spokesperson said.
"The German government was not informed about this, but that is not necessary because the Ukrainians have the right to defend themselves against a war that violates international law," the spokesperson said.
Ukraine remains "ready to negotiate" in the latest round of peace talks with Russia taking place in Istanbul on Monday, the spokesperson added.
ICYMI | Ukrainian and European officials meet ahead of talks with Russia
11:39
,
Jabed Ahmed
Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine's deputy foreign minister, met with representatives of the UK, Germany and Italy ahead of the meeting with Russia, Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesperson said.
"The sides co-ordinated positions ahead of today's meeting between Ukrainian and Russian delegations," spokesman Heorhiy Tykhy said.
“Members of the Ukrainian delegation reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to peace efforts. They elaborated on the items of the agenda, which include leaders’ meeting, a full ceasefire, and humanitarian confidence-building measures.”
Merz will push for 'fair ceasefire' in Ukraine during US visit, Berlin says
11:22
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Jabed Ahmed
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will push for a "fair ceasefire" in Ukraine during his first in-person meeting with Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday, a German government spokesperson said.
"The government's objectives are clear and the chancellor will do everything in his power to lobby the US president for a fair ceasefire, including with the threat of sanctions," the spokesperson told reporters in Berlin on Monday.
Mr Merz is aware of a push for tougher sanctions against Russia by US Senator Lindsey Graham but would not interfere in domestic US procedures, the spokesperson added.
‘UK learning the lessons of Ukraine,’ Starmer says
11:08
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Jabed Ahmed
Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK is learning the lessons of Ukraine and will deliver an army 10 times more lethal than it is now by 2035.
The prime minister said he has spoken repeatedly to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky about ensuring all aspects of Britain’s military “work seamlessly together”.
“To ensure that drones, destroyers, AI, aircraft, and each different branch of our armed services are fully integrated,” he said.
For context,
The UK government will build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and invest £15 billion in its warhead programme, Sir Keir announced today as the government unveils its strategic defence review.
Ukrainians and Russians enter Istanbul venue for peace talks
11:01
,
Jabed Ahmed
Ukrainian and Russian delegations arrived at Istanbul's Ciragan Palace, along with senior Turkish officials, for their second round of direct peace talks in three years.
The delegations arrived in cars and entered the venue, the Russians mostly wearing suits and several of the Ukrainians wearing camouflaged military uniforms.
Danish PM says Ukraine seems successful in defending itself
10:49
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Jabed Ahmed
Ukraine's attack against several Russian air bases on Sunday shows that Kyiv is successful in defending itself, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said.
"I think they (Ukraine) have the right to defend themselves and sometimes it includes pushing back so it seems that it has been successful," Ms Frederiksen said when asked to comment on Ukraine's attack.
Ukraine's domestic intelligence service, the SBU, acknowledged it carried out the attack, codenamed "Operation Spider's Web," planned for more than a year and a half.
At a meeting of Nordic, Baltic and Eastern European leaders in the capital of Lithuania, Ms Frederiksen also said it was crucial to focus on rearming Europe.
"Russia is a threat to all of us and therefore we need to strengthen our Eastern flank... We have to push for a ceasefire still but at the same time we have to do what is needed at the battlefield in Ukraine so they can actually win this war," she said.
Number of people injured in Russian bridge collapse rises – reports
10:31
,
Jabed Ahmed
The number of people who have been injured during one of two bridge collapses on Saturday has risen, according to Russian media reports.
Russian state-owned news agency Tass reported the number of those injured in the bridge collapse in the Bryansk Region has risen to 104.
In total, seven people were killed.
The first bridge, in the Bryansk region on the border with Ukraine, collapsed on top of a passenger train on Saturday, causing casualties. The train's driver was among those killed, state-run Russian Railways said.
Hours later, officials said a second train derailed when the bridge beneath it collapsed in the nearby Kursk region, which also borders Ukraine.
Russia's Investigative Committee, the country's top criminal investigation agency, said explosions had caused the two bridges to collapse without giving more detail. Several hours later, it edited the statement to remove the words "explosions", but did not explain why.
Listen: Keir Starmer refuses to rule out war with Russia
09:59
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Jabed Ahmed
Zelensky in Lithuania while peace talks take place in Istanbul
09:44
,
Jabed Ahmed
Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Lithuania with leaders from Nato's eastern flank for a meeting ahead of the Hague Nato summit later in June.
This includes the Bucharest Nine – Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia – and the Nordics – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte is also in attendance.
There will be a joint press conference later today. We will bring you the latest lines.
Pictured | Russian strike on Kharkiv
09:38
,
Jabed Ahmed
Watch | Zelensky praises Ukraine's security service for 'brilliant operation' in Russian territory
09:25
,
Jabed Ahmed
Who will be present at the second round of peace talks?
09:08
,
Jabed Ahmed
After keeping the world guessing on whether Ukraine would even turn up for the second round, president Volodymyr Zelensky said his Defence Minister Rustem Umerov would meet with Russian officials in Istanbul.
The Russian delegation will be headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, who after the first round invoked French general and statesman Napoleon Bonaparte to assert that war and negotiations should always be conducted at the same time.
According to Trump envoy Keith Kellogg, the two sides will in Turkey present their respective documents outlining their ideas for peace terms, though it is clear that after three years of war, Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart.
Mr Medinsky said on Sunday that Moscow had received Ukraine's draft memorandum and told Russia’s RIA news agency the Kremlin would react to it on Monday.
Mr Kellogg has indicated that the US will be involved in the talks and that even representatives from Britain, France and Germany will be too, though it was not clear at what level the United States would be represented.
Ukraine's delegation will also include its deputy foreign minister, as well as several military and intelligence officials, according to an executive order by Mr Zelensky on Sunday.
What happened at the last peace talks between Russia and Ukraine?
08:49
,
Jabed Ahmed
The last round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place earlier this month in Turkey.
Both countries agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each in their first talks for more than three years.
However, the two sides fell short of negotiating a ceasefire as Kyiv said Moscow had presented conditions that were “non-starters”.
The negotiations were held in Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace and mediated by a Turkish team.
It took place after a turbulent two days cast doubt over whether the meeting would take place at all. The talks lasted under two hours.
Ukraine said its next goal is for Vladimir Putin to meet directly with Volodymyr Zelensky; Russia said it had "taken note" of the request.
Neither Mr Zelensky nor Mr Putin are attending the second round of peace talks starting today.
Below is a video of the prisoner swap that was agreed by both sides:
Starmer: ‘We cannot ignore the threat of Russia’
08:34
,
Jabed Ahmed
Sir Keir Starmer has warned that Britain “cannot ignore the threat Russia poses”.
The prime minister said the UK has to prepare itself to fight a war to deter Russian aggression and avoid a conflict with Vladimir Putin.
He said the world is facing the greatest instability it has for years, and kept the door open to Britain going to war with Russia if it invades a European Nato member such as Lithuania.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “In order to make sure that that isn't the case, we need to prepare. But we cannot ignore the threat that Russia poses.”
For context,
The UK government will build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and invest £15 billion in its warhead programme, Sir Keir will announce today as the government unveils its strategic defence review.
Ukraine destroyed 13 planes in Russian air bases, official says
08:24
,
Jabed Ahmed
Ukraine destroyed at least 13 planes during an attack on Russian air bases, Ukraine's national security and defence council official said.
Andriy Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine's Centre for Countering Disinformation, said some other planes were also damaged in the attack, in a post on the Telegram messaging app.
Russian attacks kill five, injure more ahead of peace talks
08:12
,
Rachel Clun, Reuters
Five people have been killed and six others injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight, ahead of peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv in Istanbul later today.
Russian shelling and air attacks killed five people outside the south-eastUkrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, while a drone attack on the northeast region of Sumy injured at least six early on Monday, including two children, regional officials said.
Ivan Fedorov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said three women died in a series of Russian shelling incidents targeting the village of Ternuvate, east of Zaporizhzhia late on Sunday. A shop and several homes were badly damaged.
A man died in a nearby district in a Russian strike by a guided aerial bomb, Fedorov said. A total of nine people were injured in the Russian attacks and a private home was destroyed.
Two children were among those injured in a Russian drone attack on the Sumy region, Oleh Sinehubov, the governor of the region, said on Monday on Telegram.
"A 7-year-old boy is among the victims," Sinehubov said. He added that several buildings throughout the regions were damaged.
Ukraine will try for 'some progress' at Istanbul meeting: Zelensky
07:57
,
Rachel Clun
Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine will continue to propose a “full and unconditional ceasefire” in today’s meeting with Russia.
The Ukrainian president said the plan Kyiv will present to Russia is “logical and realistic”.
“We continue to propose a full and unconditional ceasefire, along with all rational and dignified steps that could lead to a lasting and reliable peace,” he said on X late on Sunday night.
“The Russians, however, have not shared their ‘memorandum’ with anyone — we don't have it, the Turkish side doesn't have it, and the American side doesn't have the Russian document either.
“Despite this, we will try to achieve at least some progress on the path toward peace.”
Ukrainian delegation arrives in Istanbul for talks with Russia
07:42
,
Rachel Clun
The Ukrainian delegation has arrived in Istanbul for the second round of direct peace talks since 2022.
The meeting is planned for this afternoon, Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesperson said.
Ukraine’s delegation is being led by defence minister Rustem Umerov, while Russia’s delegation is being headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky.
Germany’s defence chief warns Nato must be prepared for the ‘very serious threat’ of a Russian attack by 2029
07:30
,
Rachel Clun
Germany’s chief of defence has warned that Nato must brace for an attack from Russia in four years or even sooner as Moscow builds up its forces “to an enormous extent”.
General Carsten Breuer said Russia was a “very serious threat” to Nato at the moment.
“It's really coming to a point where I must say, we have to be prepared,” he said in an interview with the BBC.
General Breuer said Russia was building about 1,500 main battle tanks every year, as well as 4 million rounds of 155 millimetre ammunition, some of which was going in military stockpiles “facing the west”.
The general said it was “clear that there’s an intention” from Russia to expand its offensive elsewhere.
“So we have to be ready by 2029 up to then, we have to speed up in Nato,” he said.
“If you ask me now, is this a guarantee that's not earlier than 2029 I would say, No, it's not. So we must be able to fight tonight, and for this fight tonight … we are ready.”
Trump was not told about Ukraine attack on Russian planes, report claims
07:17
,
Rachel Clun
Donald Trump was not given a heads-up about Ukraine’s unprecedented drone strikes that took out a huge fleet of Russian planes on Sunday, according to reports.
Ukraine’s “large-scale” drone attack, launched deep into Russian territory and which wiped out 40 bombers, took more than 18 months to plan and was personally supervised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, both Ukrainian and U.S. officials told Axios.
Read the full report below:
Russia's long-range bombers targeted in Ukraine's audacious attack
07:04
,
Arpan Rai
A major Ukrainian drone attack has destroyed more than 40 Russian planes deep in Russia's territory, Ukraine's Security Service said yesterday.
The drones hit 41 planes stationed at military airfields on Sunday afternoon, including A-50, Tu-95 and Tu-22M aircraft, the official said.
Moscow has previously used Tupolev Tu-95 and Tu-22 long-range bombers to launch missiles at Ukraine, while A-50s are used to coordinate targets and detect air defences and guided missiles.
The Security Service of Ukraine said that the operation, which it codenamed "spider web", had destroyed 34 percent of Russia's fleet of air missile carriers with damages estimated at $7bn.
The claim could not be independently verified.
Russia's defence ministry in a statement confirmed the attacks, which damaged aircraft and sparked fires on air bases in the Irkutsk region, more than 4,000km (2,500 miles) from Ukraine, as well as the Murmansk region in the north, it said.
Strikes were also repelled in the Amur region in Russia's Far East and in the western regions of Ivanovo and Ryazan, the ministry said.
Asian shares slide as Russia-Ukraine conflict, OPEC+ output plan push oil prices higher
06:45
,
Arpan Rai
Asian shares sank this morning and oil prices jumped as trade tensions and the Russian-Ukraine conflict ratcheted up geopolitical uncertainty.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng plunged more than 2 per cent as Beijing and Washington traded harsh words over trade. US president Donald Trump’s announcement that he will double tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50 per cent layered on still more worries for investors.
A report over the weekend that China’s factory activity contracted in May, although the decline slowed from April as the country reached a deal with the US to slash president Donald Trump’s sky-high tariffs, further undermined market sentiment.
What are Ukraine's demands today from Putin in Turkey?
06:44
,
Arpan Rai
Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul will present to the Russian side a proposed roadmap for reaching a lasting peace settlement, according to a copy of the document seen by Reuters.
According to the document, there will be no restrictions on Ukraine's military strength after a peace deal is struck, no international recognition of Russian sovereignty over parts of Ukraine taken by Moscow's forces, and reparations for Ukraine.
The document also states that the current location of the frontline will be the starting point for negotiations about territory.
Russia currently controls a little under one fifth of Ukraine, or about 113,100 square km, about the same size as the US state of Ohio.
Mr Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops to invade Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops. The United States says over 1.2 million people have been killed and injured in the war since 2022.