Ukraine has seen the first anti-government protests since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion over three years ago, as a move by President Volodymyr Zelensky to curb anti-corruption agencies sparked fury across the nation.

The European Union welcomed Ukraine's pledge to protect the independence of its anti-corruption agencies and said on Thursday that a commitment to fight corruption is an important precondition both for EU financial aid as well as for potential EU membership.

The wartime leader's approval earlier this week of a controversial law that weakened the agencies' autonomy had sparked public outcry and sharp criticism from the EU.

Negotiators for the warring sides in Istanbul appeared to make little progress on ceasefire terms or a possible summit between their presidents – with their meeting ending after less than an hour.

The warring sides remain far apart after the third round of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations on Wednesday. But there was progress on humanitarian issues.