The European Union must focus on a new sanctions package to suffocate Russia's economy and force President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, France's foreign minister said.

Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv that he will be in Ankara on Thursday to conduct the negotiations. He plans to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the two will wait for Putin to arrive, he said. Zelenskyy said that if Putin chooses Istanbul to hold the meeting, then both leaders will travel there.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that Vladimir Putin is "too scared" to meet him in Turkey for ceasefire talks on Thursday

Iran is preparing for a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iran's government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani was quoted by Russia's state RIA news agency as saying on Monday.