

Although two rounds of direct peace talks between representatives of russia and ukraine have taken place as a result of the US-led diplomatic effort, the war between the two countries continues unabated. However, the talks have not made any progress. The two countries are yet to reach a consensus on the terms of ending the conflict. In a recent response, Putin said moscow was ready to participate in a new round of peace talks with ukraine, possibly in Istanbul, but the time and venue had not yet been finalized. Putin acknowledged significant differences in proposals exchanged during previous talks and expressed hope that the new talks would fill the gap.