Kremlin: No breakthroughs after Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul

MOSCOW — The Kremlin today plays down hopes of a breakthrough following peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegates in Istanbul a day earlier.

“We cannot state that there was anything too promising or any breakthroughs,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov tells reporters.

“There is a lot of work to be done,” Peskov says.

He adds that Moscow considers it “positive” that Kyiv has started outlining its demands in writing.

“We carefully avoid making statements on the matters” that are discussed at the talks because “we believe that negotiations should take place in silence,” he adds.

Following talks in Istanbul yesterday that Moscow’s main negotiator described as “meaningful,” Russia said it would be significantly reducing its military activity near Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and the city of Chernihiv.

However, Ukrainian authorities say Russian forces bombarded the northern city of Chernihiv today despite Moscow’s earlier claims.