Ukraine claimed it had driven out Russian forces from some key areas around its capital Kyiv and the country’s north-east, as fierce fighting set the backdrop for the first face-to-face ceasefire talks in almost a fortnight.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, used a late-night address on Monday to praise his forces retaking Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv and an important gateway to the capital, the latest in a series of counter attacks that pushed back Russian forces.
“The occupiers are pushed away from Irpin. Pushed away from Kyiv,” Mr Zelenskiy said. “However, it is too early to talk about security in this part of our region. The fighting continues. Russian troops control the north of Kyiv, have the resources and manpower.”
While Ukraine’s precise gains have not been independently verified, the UK said Ukrainian forces had made progress in “localised counter attacks” to the north-west of Kyiv, including at Irpin, Bucha and Hostomel. “These attacks have had some success and the Russians have been pushed back from a number of positions,” said the Ministry of Defence in an intelligence update on Tuesday.
Mr Zelenskiy’s’s remarks came as Russian and Ukrainian envoys gathered in Istanbul for the fourth round of talks to end the war in Ukraine. While negotiators have sketched the outlines of a potential ceasefire and moves towards a political settlement, diplomats in Kyiv, Moscow and the west say they remain sceptical about any imminent breakthrough.
The two sides are discussing a pause in hostilities and humanitarian corridors as part of a possible deal that would involve Ukraine abandoning its drive for Nato membership in exchange for security guarantees and the prospect of joining the EU, according to people familiar with the talks.
With Russia’s month-long ground offensive largely stalled, Moscow has signalled its willingness to pull back from some of its most difficult initial demands. But Ukraine and its western backers fear Russian president Vladimir Putin may be using the talks as a ruse to resupply his forces in preparation for a fresh offensive.
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