Ukraine-Russia Talks Begin In Turkey

Tensions were high and there was an over-two-hour unexplained delay in the start of the talks, which were originally slated for 10 am GMT, but started at half-past-noon. NDTV reported.

Even though both sides eventually showed up for the bilateral meeting, with the latest attacks, there is no sign that either side is even remotely close to an understanding or an agreement. Kyiv, which scaled up its attack less than 24 hours ago, had struck Russian bombers, some of which were nuclear-capable, at a remote airbase.

Moscow too, has scaled up the intensity of its missile and drone strikes in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the two sides are sitting face-to-face in Istanbul discussing their respective ideas of what a full ceasefire in this years-long war should look like.