TURKEY URGES CEASEFIRE, US SETS DEADLINE
Turkish Overseas Minister Hakan Fidan, who opened the talks, urged the delegations to maneuver towards a ceasefire.
“Our goal is to finish this bloody conflict, which has a really excessive price, as quickly as doable,” he mentioned. “The final word objective is a ceasefire that can pave the best way for peace.”
The talks observe earlier conferences in Istanbul in Might and June, which yielded agreements on prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of troopers’ stays.
The most recent negotiations come because the Trump administration intensifies strain on Russia. Final week, Trump gave Moscow a 50-day deadline to finish the conflict or face further sanctions.
Regardless of the ultimatum, the Kremlin signalled no change in stance. “Nobody expects a straightforward street. It will likely be very troublesome,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned.
A Ukrainian delegation supply advised AFP earlier than the talks that progress would depend upon whether or not Russia adopted a extra constructive strategy. “All the pieces will depend upon whether or not Russia stops talking in ultimatums,” the supply mentioned.
Russia has to this point insisted Ukraine withdraw from 4 jap and southern areas it claims to have annexed in 2022, a requirement Kyiv rejects as non-negotiable. Ukraine has additionally dominated out any territorial concessions, together with Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.
