Russian and Ukrainian officials convened in Istanbul on Monday for critical peace talks, following a dramatic drone attack by Ukraine on Russian airbases. This marked the second round of direct negotiations between the two nations since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in early 2022. The discussions come just a day after Ukraine executed a bold operation targeting Russia’s nuclear-capable bombers, an initiative that President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed was a year and a half in the making.

During the initial round of talks last month, both sides agreed to outline their conditions for a ceasefire and a potential long-term peace agreement. Zelensky stated that Ukraine had presented its “logical and realistic” demands to Moscow. However, he noted that Russia had not yet provided its memorandum. "We don’t have it," Zelensky said. "The Turkish side doesn’t have it, and the American side doesn’t have the Russian document either. Despite this, we will attempt to achieve at least some progress on the path toward peace."

The impact of Ukraine's recent air raid on the peace talks remains uncertain. Analysts suggest that while Kyiv aims to demonstrate the costs of Russia's prolonged military campaign, the operation could also strengthen Moscow's resolve. The mission, dubbed “Spiderweb,” is considered one of Ukraine's most significant strikes against Russia in over three years of conflict.

According to Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, the drones were smuggled into Russia, concealed within wooden mobile homes attached to trucks. The drones were then deployed to attack four Russian airfields, resulting in an estimated $7 billion in damage and impacting 34% of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers, totaling 41 aircraft. Vasul Malyuk, head of the SBU, emphasized that these targets were “completely legitimate,” as Russia has utilized these planes to bombard Ukrainian cities throughout the conflict.

The operation has bolstered morale in Ukraine, which has faced intense Russian bombardment since peace talks resumed in mid-May. Ukrainian officials reported that Moscow launched a record 472 drones at Ukraine just hours before the Ukrainian attack. At a summit in Lithuania, Zelensky expressed optimism, stating that the operation demonstrated Ukraine's “stronger tactical solutions” compared to Russia. "This is a special moment – on the one hand, Russia has launched its summer offensive, but on the other hand, they are being forced to engage in diplomacy," he said.

The Istanbul talks are seen as a test of the sincerity of Russia's diplomatic engagement. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin had proposed direct talks in Turkey but failed to attend, sending a lower-level delegation instead. Frustration over the ongoing conflict was echoed by U.S. President Donald Trump, who remarked that Putin had gone “absolutely crazy” following Russia's largest aerial assault of the war.

Zelensky warned that if the Istanbul meeting yields no results, it would indicate a pressing need for stronger sanctions against Russia. "If Monday’s meeting brings nothing, that clearly means strong new sanctions are urgently, urgently needed," he stated.