Many Russian soldiers say they would see a cease-fire along the current front lines as a failure, hinting at the nationalist discontent the Kremlin could face in accepting a cease-fire.

Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each during peace talks held in Istanbul on Friday, in what would be the biggest prisoner swap of the conflict. The negotiations, which lasted less than two hours and were mediated by Turkey, marked the first time the nations have engaged in direct peace talks since the war began.

The meeting between a delegation from Kyiv and Moscow capped off a week of diplomacy that saw world leaders descend on Turkey for a series of talks in Ankara, Antalya and finally Istanbul. It was there that officials from Russia and Ukraine met face-to-face today for the first time in three years.