Moscow Rejects Ukraine Talks, Calls Breakthroughs Unlikely

Ukraine‑Russia Talks Stall Amid Moscow’s Drone onslaught

Western Ukrainian cities faced flares after Moscow launched its largest drone and missile strike on the country, while officials in the Kremlin downplayed hope for a third round of peace talks and left the date of a scheduled meeting in Istanbul, Ukraine said.

Negotiations Stand at an Impasse

• Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov declared that the Kremlin had no reason to expect “miraculous breakthroughs” following a briefing, the same day the Kremlin announced that the two sides were “far apart” in their visions for ending the ongoing conflict.

• President Volodymyr Zelensky outlined “releasing captives, returning abducted children, stopping killings, and starting a leaders’ meeting” as the agenda that Kyiv was ready to secure.

• Moscow said that “a lot of work lies ahead” before even discussions could take place about possible talks between President Putin and Zelensky, who last met in 2019.

Delegation Composition and Timing

Ukraine’s current security council secretary, Rustem Umerov, will head Kyiv’s delegation for the discussion on Wednesday, while the Kremlin left invitations open for “this week” and promised an announcement when they were ready.

“As soon as we are ready, we will make an announcement regarding the dates,” Peskov said.

In the last round of talks, Moscow’s delegation was led by historian and head of the Russian Union of Writers, Vladimir Medinsky, whom Ukraine called a “puppet with no authority.”

Frontline Violence Continues

• The Russian army reported that it had captured the village of Novotoretskoye in the Donetsk region, marking the latest advance as Moscow intensified its ground offensive.

• A Ukrainian drone hit a private bus in the Kherson region, killing three and wounding three, according to a Moscow-installed official.

• Another man died in Russia’s Belgorod region after a Ukrainian attack, the local governor said.

• In a further strike, a Russian drone and missile salvo on the eastern frontline city of Kramatorsk killed a 10‑year‑old boy and wounded more than a dozen people across the country, Kyiv’s authorities said.

In recent weeks, Russia has fired a record number of drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities and seized more frontline territory, evidence that Moscow is not serious about halting the all‑out offensive it launched in February 2022.