But Peskov poured cold water on the idea, saying it was "premature" for the two presidents to meet. "They [Ukraine] are trying to put the cart slightly ahead of the horse," he said, adding much more work had to be done before any such meeting could take place. Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Hocharenko said on Facebook that a separate meeting between Umerov and Medinsky had taken place behind closed doors on the sidelines of the main talks. Hocharenko said Umerov and Medinsky have a "good relationship". The first two rounds of ceasefire talks were held in May and June at the request of US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said he wants to see the end of the "horrible, bloody war" that was sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Russia has launched several strikes across Ukraine, killing at least five people and wounding several, in an attack that appeared to target energy infrastructure. Ukraine also launched a drone attack on Russia's central region of Saratov, injuring four. The exchange began around midnight on Sunday and continued beyond daybreak on Monday. Ukraine's air force reported multiple groups of Russian drones moving towards its eastern, northern, southern, and central regions, followed by numerous cruise and ballistic missiles. Authorities in at least six Ukrainian regions said blasts had been heard.