Ukraine and Russia will hold another round of peace talks in Istanbul on Wednesday, March 01, 2024, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The announcement follows Zelensky's discussions with Ukrainian Security Council chief Rustem Umerov regarding preparations for a prisoner exchange and the upcoming talks in Turkey. While a Turkish government spokesperson confirmed the Istanbul location, Russia has yet to officially comment, with RIA news agency suggesting the talks may span Thursday and Friday. Previous talks in Istanbul in May and June failed to achieve a ceasefire.

The talks come after US President Donald Trump threatened Russia with severe sanctions if a ceasefire wasn't reached within 50 days and pledged new weapons for Ukraine following intensified Russian attacks. A senior Ukrainian official suggested the talks could involve further prisoner exchanges and a potential Zelensky-Putin meeting. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated the two sides remain "diametrically opposed," and a breakthrough is not expected immediately. Russia's recent intensification of drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities has resulted in record civilian casualties. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia began in 2022.

Impact Statement: The outcome of these talks remains uncertain, but they represent a continued diplomatic effort to resolve the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.