Russia and Ukraine discussed further prisoner swaps on Wednesday 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.

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.

Turkey, a NATO ally, has positioned itself as a neutral player in the Ukraine war — as being pro-Ukrainian without being anti-Russian.

Ukraine is also important to Turkey as both an economic and a geopolitical partner. Trade between the two countries has increased rapidly since Ukraine’s 2013-2014 Revolution of Dignity ...

Ukraine closed out its third round of direct talks with Russia on Wednesday with a proposal to hold a “leaders’ summit” by the end of August with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian