Ukraine seeks “immediate ceasefire” and Russian withdrawal in first direct talks during Putin’s ongoing invasion

Kyiv – Ukrainian and Russian delegates sat down on Monday for the first direct talks between the two countries since Russia began its invasion five days earlier. Negotiations lasted for hours, and although they brought some hope for an end to the war, UkraineThe President of Russia and the people of Kyiv have indicated that they expect little from the discussion. Already during the meeting, there were reports of intensified Russian shelling in eastern Ukrainian cities.

Russia will not clarify its goals for the talks, but CBS News’s Hailey Ott said Ukraine’s key demands are an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of all Russian troops. Russian officials said the meeting ended early in the evening and that the delegations concerned were returning to their capitals to discuss the talks.

Ukraine’s capital Kyiv was still on the brink on Monday, but residents were allowed to leave their homes and shelters for the first time since Saturday night, when the local government, which is preparing to escalate Russia’s siege of the city, said someone had in the streets will be treated as an enemy.

Hours before Russian-Ukrainian talks began near the border with Belarus, Ukrainian authorities said Russia was shelling major cities again at night. Defense officials say Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, came under heavy artillery fire after Ukrainian forces captured it from Russian troops the day before.

Meanwhile, pressure on Russian leader Vladimir Putin is mounting as the entire UN General Assembly gathers for extraordinary extraordinary meeting to discuss the crisis a day after Putin said he was putting his nuclear forces on alert in response to what he called NATO’s “aggressive statements” and sanctions by the world’s richest nations.