**Russia and Ukraine Edge Closer to Peace Talks**
The war between Russia and Ukraine has been ongoing for almost three and a half years, causing immense suffering and destruction on both sides. However, there are signs that the two countries may be nearing an agreement to hold new peace talks in Turkey.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, his government is pushing for greater momentum in negotiations to bring an end to the war. He stated that Ukraine’s agenda for the talks is clear: the return of prisoners of war, the return of children abducted by Russia, and preparations for a leaders’ meeting.
Russia, led by President Vladimir Putin, has been under increasing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to show progress towards ending the conflict. Despite this, Putin has repeatedly refused to engage with Zelenskiy, citing concerns over Ukraine’s legitimacy due to its failure to hold new elections after his five-year mandate expired last year.
The Kremlin has stated that Russia and Ukraine have “diametrically opposed” positions on how to end the war, making it difficult to reach a breakthrough. However, both sides appear willing to engage in talks, with Russian state news agency TASS quoting an unidentified source as saying that negotiators may meet in Istanbul this week.
**A Long Road Ahead**
The fact that the two sides have made no significant progress towards a ceasefire or settlement despite holding previous rounds of talks is a concern. The last round of talks took place on June 2, and there has been no major breakthrough since then. Trump’s warning to impose new sanctions in 50 days if there is no deal before then adds an extra layer of complexity to the situation.
**The Way Forward**
For now, it seems that Russia and Ukraine are inching closer to agreeing to hold a new round of peace talks. However, the fact that the two sides have “diametrically opposed” positions on how to end the war makes it a daunting task. The return of prisoners of war and children abducted by Russia is a crucial step towards building trust between the two nations. If successful, this could pave the way for further negotiations and potentially lead to an end to the conflict.
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