Sergey Lavrov expressed doubts about organizing peace talks at the Vatican, emphasizing the Orthodox roots of Russia and Ukraine. Another round of negotiations with Ukraine is planned, but details remain unknown.

Despite proposing the direct talks in Istanbul, Putin’s name did not appear on a list released by the Kremlin on Wednesday of Russian officials who would be attending the negotiations.

For hours Friday, a crowd of hopefuls stood on the roadside wrapped in blue-and-yellow flags and clutching photos of captured Ukrainian soldiers — their eyes peeled for any sign of buses. On board would be the first batch of Ukrainian troops released in the largest exchange of the war with Russia thus far — the only outcome of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul last week that failed to result in a ceasefire.