A new round of peace talks takes place today and tomorrow in Istanbul, after several rounds held in Belarus and online. Kyiv says its goals in the negotiations include the pullout of Russian troops from Ukraine and security guarantees. In turn, Moscow wants Ukraine to give up its NATO accession plan, to recognise the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east and the incorporation of Crimea by Russia. In the field, Russian troops continue to shell the areas around the capital Kyiv, but Ukrainian forces withstand the attacks. The heaviest bombings were reported near Irpin, north-west of the capital, where Ukrainians say they have full control. The port city of Mariupol, in the south, is on the verge of a humanitarian disaster and must be fully evacuated, said mayor Vadym Boychenko. According to him, nearly 160,000 civilians are stranded in the city without water, food, medicines and electricity. The Red Cross has already requested Russia and Ukraine to secure a humanitarian corridor.
