Ukraine suspects Russia is not really interested in pausing the conflict and ending the war, and the head of the country’s delegation, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, said the key points could only be resolved at face-to-face talks between President Zelensky and President Putin.

Russia and Ukraine agreed to a new prisoner exchange after their delegates met for a second round of renewed peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, but there was no sign the warring sides were any closer to reaching a ceasefire deal than they were when direct negotiations were restarted a month ago.

Ukraine and Russia have agreed to conduct the largest prisoner and war dead exchange since the conflict began in February 2022.