Erdogan hails Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan hailed the June 2 talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul as "magnificent," although no breakthrough was achieved on key issues.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Moscow might consider a high-level summit later in June or early July, but mutual hostility makes such a meeting unlikely.

The talks, lasting just over an hour, focused on humanitarian issues, including prisoner exchanges and the return of Ukrainian children. Sources said Russia is ready to expedite the return of 339 children and proposed exchanging the bodies of fallen soldiers.

However, the sides failed to agree on a ceasefire. Ukraine demands an unconditional truce and gradual sanctions relief, while Moscow insists on a Ukrainian troop withdrawal from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, neutrality, and non-alignment.

Washington has not yet made a definitive statement on the talks. Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress is debating a bill to impose 500% tariffs on imports from countries trading with Russia, which could complicate diplomatic efforts.

Fighting continues on the battlefield. Ukraine launched major drone strikes on Russian military airbases, damaging strategic assets and increasing pressure on Moscow.