The Kremlin said it expects "very difficult discussions" with Kiev during the peace talks scheduled for this evening in Istanbul, again rejecting the possibility of quick diplomatic gains that would end the war.

"No one expects an easy path. Of course, these will be very complex negotiations," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, quoted by AFP.

He reiterated that the two sides' proposals for ending the conflict were "diametrically opposed."

This third round of direct talks in Istanbul is being held again under pressure from US President Donald Trump, who in mid-July gave Moscow 50 days to reach an agreement with Kiev, under threat of heavy sanctions.

Kiev and its Western allies accuse the Kremlin of blocking the negotiations by maintaining maximalist demands, while the Russian army, which is more numerous and better armed, continues its bombing and attacks on the front, where it is still gaining ground.

This morning, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that it had captured a new village, Varachine, in the Ukrainian region of Sumy.

Top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said Trump's 50-day deadline was "too long" when "innocent civilians are dying every day." | BGNES