The Russian delegation and the Ukrainian delegation attend the third round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey, July 23, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS/Murad Sezer)

"We have progress on the humanitarian track, with no progress on a cessation of hostilities," Ukraine's chief delegate Rustem Umerov said after talks that lasted just 40 minutes.

He said Ukraine had proposed a meeting before the end of August between Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia's chief delegate Vladimir Medinsky said the point of a leaders' meeting should be to sign an agreement, not to "discuss everything from scratch".