As Russian and Ukrainian officials convened in Turkey for a renewed attempt at direct peace negotiations, the stark reality of the ongoing conflict was underscored by the intense fighting on the front lines.
On Thursday evening, Roman, a 26-year-old Ukrainian artillery commander, was forced to scramble to his artillery gun after Russian strikes landed near his position, a scene that highlighted the distant prospect of peace despite the diplomatic efforts. This marked the first direct talks between the two sides since 2022.
Speaking to Reuters before the exchange of artillery fire, Roman, whose call sign is “Cowboy,” expressed his lack of confidence that Russia would agree to a 30-day ceasefire, a key demand from Kyiv and Western nations.
“At the moment peace is not possible,” Roman stated. “We are certain that the enemy is not going to stop. Our task, as soldiers, is to hold our positions, keep on fighting, not to give up.”
Roman’s unit, whose members did not provide their full names in accordance with Ukrainian military protocol, was positioned in woodland in the Donetsk region, an area largely under Russian control.
Late on Thursday, they received orders to target Russian positions with their 2S1 Gvozdika, a Soviet-designed self-propelled howitzer.
Before they could initiate firing, Russian rounds landed within a few hundred meters, followed by retaliatory fire from other Ukrainian positions.
Roman and his soldiers took cover in trenches before rushing to their Gvozdika. They removed camouflage and loaded a shell, firing off a round.
Meanwhile, in Turkey, Ukrainian and Russian negotiating teams initially failed to meet, trading blame for the delay. They eventually met on Friday in Istanbul.
Serhii, one of Roman’s men, when asked about the possibility of a ceasefire, responded, “No hope”.
“Because there was a lot of conversation before. No results,” said Serhii, 36, whose call sign is Steward. “I just do my work. For our victory, to stop the war.”
Russian officials maintain their commitment to a peaceful resolution but accuse Kyiv of obstructing progress with unrealistic demands and a refusal to compromise.
