Russian strikes on Sumy industrial facilities killed workers as diplomatic posturing intensified ahead of Istanbul peace talks. Morning brought President Zelensky's ultimatum that he would only meet Putin directly, setting ceasefire as a precondition while expressing cautious optimism about Putin's attendance.

By afternoon, Trump announced he expected "good news" on war's end soon, while Rutte described a two-week "window of opportunity" for resolution. US officials Rubio and Witkoff confirmed they would attend Friday's meeting, maintaining American presence despite Trump's absence.

Evening developments upended expectations when Russia announced its delegation would be led by Medinsky rather than Putin himself, alongside the GRU head. Zelensky, who had appointed a new ambassador to Turkey earlier in the day, stated he would wait to see Russia's representatives before determining Ukraine's next steps, while polling showed 71% of Ukrainians oppose elections even during a ceasefire.