Ukraine-Russia Talks in Turkey Yield Prisoner Exchange, Drone Strikes Rock Moscow

Ukraine and Russia held a new round of talks in Istanbul, Turkey, which lasted only an hour. Russia rejected an unconditional ceasefire but proposed a 2-3 day truce. A key outcome was the agreement to exchange the bodies of fallen soldiers and prisoners of war. Separately, Ukraine launched a significant drone attack on Russian military airfields, destroying at least 41 aircraft. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressing a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, called for increased sanctions against Russia if progress in the Turkish talks falters. "Sanctions against Russia are necessary," Zelenskyy stated. Meanwhile, two US senators recently visited Kyiv to show support for Ukraine. A bill to impose further sanctions on Russia is expected to be discussed in the US Senate this week. This series of events highlights the ongoing complexities and tensions in the conflict.