Ceasefire, security guarantees on the table as Russia, Ukraine hold peace talks in Turkey

A ceasefire to end the humanitarian crisis and security guarantees to protect Ukraine from Russia were among the issues discussed at peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv delegations in Turkey on Tuesday, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s political advisor said.

Mykhailo Podolyak also said the ‘escalation’ of the war – now in its 34th day – was also discussed. He said one of the points discussed was continuing ‘violation of the rules of the war’, although the advisor refrained from providing more details.

The talks mark the first face-to-face meeting between the two countries in nearly three weeks. Citing Ukrainian television, Reuters reported that the event commenced with a ‘cold welcome’ and without a handshake between the two delegations.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged both sides to ‘put an end to this tragedy’ as his country hosted the vital talks. “The two parties have legitimate concerns, it’s possible to reach a solution acceptable to the international community,” AFP reported Erdogan as saying.

The president pointed out that prolonging the war was in ‘no one’s interest’.

This is the second time – since Russian invaded Ukraine on Feb 24 – that Turkey is hosting talks; Tuesday’s were held at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul. On March 10, the Turkish city of Antalya hosted the first meeting between the two delegations.

On Monday, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said an in-person meet between Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy would be possible only after key matters of a potential peace deal were settled. Zelenksyy has insisted on face-to-face talks with Putin to help end the war.

Meanwhile, earlier today British military intelligence said Ukrainian forces are continuing counterattacks to the northwest of Kyiv and Russian forces continue to shell Mariupol.

At least two people died in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv after a Russian air strike hit a regional government building. The bodies were later pulled from rubble, AFP reported.