Representatives from Russia and Ukraine have concluded their third in-person meeting “about 40 minutes” since their start in Istanbul, Russian state news agency TASS reported Wednesday, citing sources.

The meeting comes days after President Donald Trump gave Moscow a 50-day deadline, turning peace into a “very strict tariff.”

With Russian President Vladimir Putin not publicly admitting Trump’s ultimatum, Moscow continues to smash Ukrainian cities with drones and missiles, with ground forces moving forward east.

Two previous talks held in Istanbul in May and June helped to promote the exchange of the bodies of thousands of prisoners and dead soldiers, but made little progress in the potential ceasefire agreement.

Before his latest speech on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that both sides’ negotiating positions remained “the opposite” as they were trying to downplay expectations.

“No one expects an easy path. That’s going to be a very difficult argument,” Peskov said Wednesday. A day ago, he told reporters not to expect a “miraculous breakthrough.”

Peskov confirmed that the Moscow delegation remains the same as in the previous round of speech, led by Vladimir Medinsky, former Minister of Culture and now Senior Assistant to Putin.

Rustem Umerov, former Ukrainian defense minister, led the Kyiv delegation after leading the previous two.

Last month, Russian casualties hit a tough milestone, and the UK’s Defense Ministry estimates that Putin’s war likely cost more than 1 million casualties since the start of a full-scale invasion in February 2022.

That number was tracked in the same month by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank in Washington, DC, with the number of casualties coming to 950,000, predicting that “Russia is likely to reach 1 million casualties in the summer of 2025.”

Despite these losses, the Russian president shows little indication of compromising his greatest war purpose: to dismantle Ukrainian sovereignty. In a lengthy essay published months before the full-scale invasion, Putin mistakenly claimed that Russia and Ukraine were one country. His comments suggest to many that a war was fought to make it a reality.

In addition to Trump’s new threats to new sanctions against Russia and other countries that buy Russian oil if peace does not reach 50 days, the US has also secured a contract through European allies to concentrate new weapons in Kiev. The move was in stark contrast to the previous approaches US leaders took in the conflict.

Trump’s reversal comes after the European Union proposed lowering the price cap on Russian oil exports and announced a new sanctions package that proposes introducing a complete ban on Russian banks and financial institutions in third countries that will help Russia dodge existing sanctions.

It is unclear whether Trump’s latest decision will shake up Moscow’s approach, but his troubles could provide much needed boost to the Ukrainian military’s financial resources, indicating a growing frustration with Putin.

“My conversation with him is so much fun, and then the missiles go away at night,” Trump explained last week.

Before discussions, Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky repeated the call for a direct meeting with Putin, saying that only a meeting of two leaders could end the war.

A coalition of over 100 international humanitarian organisations is calling on Israel to end the Gaza blockade, restore all food, clean water and medical supplies to the enclave and agree to a ceasefire.

In a joint statement, 111 agencies warned that the supply of enclaves is now “completely exhausted,” while humanitarian groups warned that “were witnessing their colleagues and partners waste in front of their eyes.”

“As the Israeli government’s siege is starving for the people of Gaza, aid workers are now joining the same food line and risking being shot just to support their families,” the agency said in a statement.

Israel previously denounced Hamas for its decision to halt the delivery of aid, claiming that extremist groups were stealing supplies and profiting from them. Hamas denied the allegation.

Israeli agencies have also accused the UN agencies of not picking up aid ready to move to Gaza. However, the United Nations has argued that Israeli forces frequently refuse permission to move aid within the enclave, waiting for further permission.

The main bodies, including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Amnesty International and the Norwegian Refugee Council, are among the signatories of the statement.

context: Gaza has already relied heavily on food aid and commercial shipping even before Israel launched its war with Hamas following the October 2023 attack, and since then the shortage of food, medical supplies, fuel and other essentials has been exacerbated.

The agency criticized the controversial Israeli- and US-backed Humanitarian Foundation for Gaza (GHF), which began operations on May 27th. The organization said the shootings occurred almost every day.

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Twenty-one months after the Israeli war in Gaza, the enclave is held by escalating scenes of death and hunger, with some being killed while trying to reach aid and others dying of hunger, even among their nearest allies, denounced Israeli actions.

The United Nations says more than 1,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces while searching for food since late May.

Hundreds of them have died near the GHF site, according to the United Nations. The GHF was created to replace the role of UN aid in Gaza and has been widely criticized for not improving the conditions.

All 2.1 million people in Gaza are becoming food insecured. On Tuesday, Gaza’s health ministry said 900,000 children were hungry and 70,000 people were already showing signs of malnutrition.

But how did it come to this?

Before the war, Gaza was already one of the most isolated, densely populated places on the planet, packing around 2 million people into an area of 140 square miles. Israel has strict control of its territory through years of land, air and sea blockades, and has severely restricted the movement of goods and people. According to the United Nations, more than half of the residents were under the poverty line due to food insecurity.

Before the conflict, 500-600 trucks of assistance entered Gaza every day. That number has since plummeted to an average of 28 tracks per day, a group of humanitarian organisations said Wednesday. It is unclear whether the diagram includes trucks used in GHF operations.

Following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack, 1,200 people have been killed, more than 250 have been held hostage, and Israel ordered a “full siege” of Gaza, halting the supply of electricity, food, water and fuel.

The humanitarian crisis unfolded quickly as trapped residents faced both hunger and a catastrophic Israeli military campaign. Human rights groups repeatedly criticised Israel’s use of food as a “weapon of war” and accused them of imposing “collective punishment.”

A short rest and a short-lived ceasefire

Following international pressure, the first truck carrying aid entered Gaza in late October. The temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on November 24, 2023, with a slight increase in aid flow. However, the truce collapsed a week later.

Then delivery of aid fell again, with strict Israeli testing further delaying shipments. Israeli authorities said screenings were necessary to prevent Hamas from diverting supplies, but humanitarian officials accused Israel of intentionally aiding it.

What further exacerbated the crisis was Israel’s campaign against the United Nations and its aid delivery system. Israel said it was ineffective to fall into Hamas’ hands and that aid was granted. The United Nations denies this.

Among the agencies covered were the United Nations Relief and Workplace Organizations for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), which was accused of involving staff in the October 7 attack. A UN survey found that nine of UNVRA’s 13,000 Gaza-based employees were able to “participate” and not work at an agency.

In January this year, Israel banned UNRWA from activities in Gaza, blocking hundreds of thousands of people from viral services, including food, healthcare and education.

The lawlessness began to spread as Israeli campaigns levelled most of Gaza, expelled most of its residents and weakened its grip on Hamas territory.

Looting has now marked a new hurdle for UN trucks, with victims appearing at aid delivery points. Israel accused Hamas and the armed gang of the war for confusion.

The UN warned that civil order was beginning to collapse a few weeks after the war, and warned that desperate Palestinians were taking flour and sanitary supplies from warehouses. By November 2024, the United Nations had issued an alarm again, saying its ability to provide assistance was “completely gone.”

He said more than 100 trucks were lost in the “worst one” looting incident. The driver was forced to unload the truck at the muzzle, causing injury to an aid worker and extensive damage to the vehicle.

When Hamas’ grip on Gaza declined and the territorial police were hollowed out, the gangs appeared to steal aid and resell them. Israel also armed local militias to counter Hamas. It’s a controversial move that opposing politicians warned that Israel’s national security would be at risk.

The militia armament appears to be the closest thing that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come to empower all forms of alternative rules within the strip. Since the start of the war, Israeli leaders have refused to lay out plans for Gaza’s governance once the conflict is over.

Another Certain Fire Collapse and a New Assistance System

On January 19th, another temporary ceasefire was reached. Aid has resumed, but they were not fully aware of what they needed.

Israel reinstated the total lockdown in Gaza on March 2nd after the truce expired. Two weeks later, it resumed the fight and the authorities said it was to force Hamas to accept the new ceasefire conditions and release the hostages.

By July, the World Food Programme (WFP) rated that a quarter of Gaza’s population was facing a hunger-like state.

At least 80 children have died of malnutrition since the conflict began, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said. Most of these occurred after the lockdown in March, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

In May, the controversial new Israeli- and US-backed organisation, GHF, announced it would begin obtaining Israeli approval. A few days before the GHF began its operation, director Jakewood resigned, saying it was impossible to do his job “while strictly following the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, equity and independence.”

The foundation was created to replace the UN role in Gaza, but Israeli compliance requires that aid do not reach Hamas. The GHF coordinates with the Israeli military, but said its security will be provided by civilian military contractors.

The United Nations refused to participate, saying that the GHF model violated some basic humanitarian principles. Critics note that there are only a few GHF distribution sites in southern Gaza and central Gaza. This forced a large crowd to gather in limited areas.

The GHF defends the system, saying “the secure model (that) blocks looting.”

However, shortly after it began operation on May 27, the plan became fatal as people seeking assistance fired more and more near the GHF aid site.

Palestinian officials and witnesses say the Israeli army is responsible for most deaths. Israeli forces have admitted to fire warning shots on crowds in some cases, but have denied responsibility for other incidents.

And death is not limited to the proximity of GHF aid sites. Israeli forces on Sunday killed dozens of people awaiting aid in North Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Israel said the troops fired warning shots after feeling “an immediate threat.”

The Ministry of Health recorded 10 deaths from hunger and malnutrition in 24 hours from Tuesday, bringing the total to 111 Palestinians who died from starvation.

On Wednesday, 111 international humanitarian organisations called on Israel to end the blockade and agree to a ceasefire, warning that the supply of enclaves has been “completely exhausted” and that humanitarian groups have “watched their colleagues and partners waste in front of their eyes.”

Israeli officials said at a press conference Wednesday that they hope to see more aid entering the enclave in the future.

“Unless Hamas is involved, more and more trucks want to enter Gaza and distribute aid,” the official said. “As we see for now, Hamas is interested. First, to put pressure on Israeli state to influence the (cease-fire) negotiation process, and to disrupt new mechanisms that ensure that they are not involved in the delivery of aid within Gaza.”

International pressure continues to rise from Israel from the US.

And on Monday, foreign ministers from 25 Western countries denounced Israel for assistance with “feeding” to the Gaza Strip. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it had “rejected” the statement and called it “separated from reality.”

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Ukraine has seen its first major anti-government protest since the start of a full-scale Russian invasion more than three years ago.

A small group of people gathered in the capital Kiev on Tuesday, in the LVIV in the west, and after the Ukrainian parliament Verkhovna Rada, a small group gathered in Dnipro in the east and Dnipro and Odesa in the south, gathered in Dnipro in the south.

Critics say the move further apart from the dream of joining the European Union by hindering the National Corruption Agency (NABU) and the specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). The EU has made it clear to Kyiv that if they want to become a member, they must implement strong anti-transplant measures. The Biden administration has urged the Ukrainian government to do more to eradicate corruption in 2023.

Ukraine has long been considered one of Europe’s most corrupt countries. The allegations of corruption have been made against some of the country’s senior officials, including several close allies of Zelensky, including former deputy prime minister Olexi Chernishov.

The bill was quickly tracked through Congress and was signed into law by Zelensky late Tuesday. In their evening speeches, Ukrainian leaders said that the two organizations “continue to work” but defended his move as a necessary step to remove “Russian influence” from the two institutions. This comes after Ukrainian authorities attacked one of the bodies on Monday and arrested two employees “on suspicion of working in special Russian services.”

He also criticized the previous system for halting for years.

However, opponents say the two agencies can no longer operate independently as new laws influence investigations and even shut down cases.

Criticism came from all corners of society. Former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba condemned the move in a statement, calling it a “bad day for Ukraine” on Tuesday.

The move was unaware of the frontlines where the troops struggle to hold back the Russians. Referring to the corruption that the agency worked to eradicate, Yegor Firsov, the top sergeant of the Drone Strike Platoon, said in X, “This is not a problem with Nabu or SAP. This is a problem with wild bars.”

In response to criticism on Wednesday, Zelensky said, “Everyone will work in a constructive way to solve existing problems, bring about greater justice and truly protect the interests of Ukrainian society.”

The two agencies affected by the law said in a joint statement Wednesday that “previously robbed of guarantees that tasks and functions could be effectively carried out in combating high levels of corruption.” They asked the government to reverse the law.

Importantly, for Kiev, criticism comes from the inclusion of some of the country’s major western allies, both within and outside of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian chapter of Transparency International, a leading independent nonprofit that monitors corruption around the world, previously urged Zelensky to reject the new law.

The new law said it destroyed Ukraine’s independent anti-corruption agency, but it was “one of the greatest achievements.” European protests sparked a revolution in dignity that drove pro-Russian President Viktor Janukovic in 2014.

The two institutions were established after the revolution, particularly to tackle corruption among the top political classes in Ukraine.

Nabu investigates the corruption allegations and collects evidence before handing them over to SAPO for charges. Transparency International also said the new law undermines the trust of Ukrainian international partners.

Marta Kos, the top official in charge of the process of acknowledging new member states of the European Union, said she was “seriously interested” in the law.

“The dismantling of the major safeguards protecting Nab’s independence is a serious step back. Independent bodies like Nab & Sapo are integral to the EU’s path (); the rule of law remains at the very heart of EU accession negotiations,” Kos said in X.

Meanwhile, the US Chamber of Commerce said the move was disappointing. The law “threatens the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure and undermines the country’s trust in anti-corruption efforts.”

The Legislative Initiatives Bureau (ALI), the leading think tank in Ukraine that focuses on building democracy and scrutinizes the work of the country’s parliament, said the new law is a “180-degree turn” in European integration efforts.

Ali said the law effectively blocks investigations by pushing administrative obstacles, including the power to give Ukrainian prosecutors “nearly unlimited powers” and transferring cases to different prosecutors.

The prosecutor working for SAPO added that he has unparalleled expertise in other parts of the law enforcement system after a strict selection process involving international expert advisors.

Ali also argued that the law is a response to war and the extraordinary current situation, but it envisages top prosecutors overseeing the law to continue for three years after Ukraine’s martial law is lifted.

Fighting government corruption was a major campaign pledge for Zelensky ahead of the 2019 election. Zelensky, a former comedian who played the Ukrainian president on the hit television show, had zero political experience before his victory, but he was disappointed by voters on the issue.

During the war, Zelensky fired many senior Ukrainian officials for allegations of corruption, and his government incited anti-corruption measures, including the national anti-corruption strategy.

International organizations, including the EU, the United Nations and a group of seven, have previously praised the Zelensky government for its anti-corruption efforts.

But these same organizations are now denounced the new law. Ukrainian critics say Zelensky’s campaign platform to eliminate Zelensky’s corruption is simply an empty promise.