Pakistan, May 17 -- A direct meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may happen soon. The Kremlin said this will depend on real progress in peace talks. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made the statement after rare negotiations in Turkey. It was the first face-to-face meeting between the two countries' officials since 2022.

The peace talks were held in Istanbul and lasted two hours. Turkey acted as the middleman. Both Russia and Ukraine agreed to swap proposals for a possible ceasefire. They also planned more follow-up talks. A major prisoner exchange deal was also reached, which was welcomed by both sides. Russia's lead negotiator called the outcome "satisfactory."

However, Moscow ...