Peace talks and a settlement in Ukraine have never been on the real agenda of the West, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday, in her first comments on negotiations since Russian and Ukrainian officials held talks on Wednesday.

Others with a stake in Ukraine’s security and relations with Russia must stay engaged too, argues the Nobel Peace Prize winner

Kyiv and Moscow will hold a new round of peace talks — the first in seven weeks — on Wednesday in Turkey, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Ukrainian drones pummelled the Russian Black Sea city of Sochi - where Vladimir Putin is building his own palace - as Russia's bombs rocked the Ukrainian resort of Odesa

Russia and Ukraine discussed further prisoner swaps on Wednesday (July 23) at a brief session of peace talks in Istanbul, but the sides remained far apart on ceasefire terms and a possible meeting of their leaders.

Russian negotiators are flying to Turkey for the first peace talks with Ukraine in more than seven weeks, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday.

Another attempt at peace talks between Ukraine and Russia is on the horizon amid Russia's continuous assault on Ukraine. Russian drone and missile strikes killed at least two people and injured 15 others in Kyiv just hours before the United Kingdom and Germany will hold a meeting to discuss President Trump's plan for NATO allies to provide weapons for Ukraine.