Istanbul talks may pave way for lasting Russia-Ukraine ceasefire, says Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan - Anadolu Ajansı

Before the talks even began, President Donald Trump predicted there would be no progress unless he and Russian President Vladimir Putin were involved.

Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each during peace talks held in Istanbul on Friday, in what would be the biggest prisoner swap of the conflict. The negotiations, which lasted less than two hours and were mediated by Turkey, marked the first time the nations have engaged in direct peace talks since the war began.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he expected Russia to present a Ukraine ceasefire outline within days that will show if it is serious, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of buying time.

KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday (May 20) accused Russia of not seriously engaging in peace talks and of wanting to continue its three-year invasion, despite a US push for a ceasefire.

But US secretary of state also says President Trump believes threatening Russia with sanctions may cause them to stop talking - Anadolu Ajansı

In a reversal, President Trump appears to have backed off joining a European push for new sanctions on Russia, seemingly eager to move on to doing business deals with it.

Russia launched more than 100 drones into Ukraine following the conclusion of a phone call between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.