Face-to-face peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are under way in Istanbul. Delegations from both countries and hosts Turkey arrived at Ciragan Palace just before 13:00 local time

The talks come after Kyiv launched a series of major strikes on air bases deep inside Russia on Sunday, and as both countries continued to trade strikes overnight.

Ukraine Defence Minister Rustem Umerov says it has received Russia’s memorandum, adding that the delegation will now take a week “to decide further steps”.

He confirms the two sides have “agreed to exchange all seriously wounded or ill, all combatants aged 18-25”. The bodies of dead soldiers will also be returned.

Umerov adds that they’ve also discussed a potential meeting between Zelensky and Putin, possibly also involving Trump at the end of the month.

“We are calling for real work to end this war – ceasefire, humanitarian actions, leaders’ meeting. If Russia is serous, it will agree. If not, sanctions must follow,” he says.

Deputy Ukrainian Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsya said the Russian side continued to reject an unconditional ceasefire.

The Ukrainian delegation also criticised Russia again for not allowing the United States to partake in this meeting or the meeting that took place last month.

They say there is a need for someone to monitor the talks and the United States are the best placed to this.

They reinforce they didn’t receive the document until the meeting had started, so could not examine the proposal and see what Russia was demanding.

They say a ceasefire is the base. “When the weapons are silent we can discuss.”

From there they feel they can build on an agreement.

—-BBC