A new round of talks between Russia and Ukraine starts 10:30 a.m. in Istanbul. The forum is expected to last two days. The most ambitious goal of the Ukrainian team is to reach ceasefire agreement. We do not trade in people, land, and sovereignty, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

In a video address President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian military was regaining control of the capital, Kyiv. However, he warned that Mariupol remained blocked by Russian forces, which yesterday did not allow the creation of any humanitarian corridors. Ukraine said at least 5,000 people became victims of Russia's siege of the strategic port.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the PBS that Russia would resort to the use of nuclear weapons only in an event of a "threat to the existence" of Russia. "Russia has no doubt that the tasks in Ukraine will be fulfilled," he added. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said it would be "counterproductive" for Vladimir Putin to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy before the two sides agreed on key issues.