Peace talks and a settlement in Ukraine have never been on the real agenda of the West, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday, in her first comments on negotiations since Russian and Ukrainian officials held talks on Wednesday.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged drone attacks, with five people dead in the strikes, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was optimistic about military progress.

Ukrainian drones pummelled the Russian Black Sea city of Sochi - where Vladimir Putin is building his own palace - as Russia's bombs rocked the Ukrainian resort of Odesa

Russian negotiators are flying to Turkey for the first peace talks with Ukraine in more than seven weeks, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday.

Another attempt at peace talks between Ukraine and Russia is on the horizon amid Russia's continuous assault on Ukraine. Russian drone and missile strikes killed at least two people and injured 15 others in Kyiv just hours before the United Kingdom and Germany will hold a meeting to discuss President Trump's plan for NATO allies to provide weapons for Ukraine.

Russia has promised that no 18-year-olds will be sent to fight in Ukraine, but the BBC finds many have already been killed.