Russia and Ukraine are all set for face-to-face peace talks amid warnings that the situation in the city of Mariupol was destructive. President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the restart of negotiations and said they must bring peace without delay and signalling to compromise on the most sensitive topics.

The two sides have not met in person in weeks but will hold three days of talks in Istanbul from Monday, according to David Arakhamia, a Ukrainian negotiator. Several rounds of discussions have already failed to end the war happened due to the Russian attack.