Russia-Ukraine Istanbul talks yield little progress toward peace

Talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul ended with little progress toward ending the war, despite agreements on prisoner exchanges. The meeting lasted only an hour, highlighting the significant distance between the two sides. While prisoner exchanges were agreed upon, discussions on a ceasefire or ending the conflict stalled due to differing demands. Ukraine insists on a "full and unconditional ceasefire," while Russia wants to address the "root cause" of the conflict, namely NATO expansion. The meeting followed a Ukrainian attack on Russian military infrastructure, adding to the tension. Ukraine also proposed a meeting between the two countries' leaders, but Russia has yet to agree to such a meeting.