Delegations from Russia and Ukraine met at Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, on Monday for the second round of direct peace talks in just over two weeks. The meeting, presided over by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, lasted over an hour and was held amid deepening hostilities.

The Ukrainian delegation was led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, while Turkish intelligence officials also attended. However, conflicting reports emerged regarding the exact start time of the talks.

The discussions followed Ukraine’s massive drone strike on Russian airbases, which reportedly destroyed over 40 aircraft, triggering retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Russia.

The fighting continues across a 1000-kilometer front, with Kharkiv suffering missile strikes near a school. Both sides remain sharply divided on ceasefire terms, raising concerns that peace may still be elusive despite high-level diplomacy.