At least four people were killed – two on each side – when Russia and Ukraine exchanged drone salvos Wednesday.

The attacks come as the war between the neighbors has dragged on for more than four years.

Kyiv said Russian drone strikes killed two people and wounded seven more in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, which lies close to the Russian border, was encircled at the beginning of Russia's invasion four years ago.

It has been attacked almost daily since Moscow's forces were pushed back later in 2022.

The governor of the wider region, Oleg Synegubov, said two people were killed in the attack on the Shevchenkivsky district.

"A civilian enterprise caught fire as a result of the enemy strike," he said, adding that three women and four men had been hospitalized.

In the Russian-occupied part of the southern Zaporizhzhia region, Moscow-installed authorities said two civilians were killed in their car by a Ukrainian drone strike on the frontline town of Vasylivka.

"The danger of repeated strikes remains," Kremlin-appointed Gov. Yevgeny Balitsky said.

The United States is pushing Kyiv and Moscow to agree to an elusive peace deal, but a third round of three-party talks was derailed by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Istanbul talks back on cards

However, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that he spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and that Türkiye was prepared to host the next round of negotiations in Istanbul

"The President noted that Türkiye is ready to host the next round ⁠of talks in a trilateral ​format. We appreciate this initiative ​and ⁠hope ‌it ‌can produce ⁠results," Zelenskyy wrote ​on Facebook.

The development was also confirmed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov Wednesday when he said that the next round of Russia-Ukraine-U.S. talks may take place in Istanbul.

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Peskov said all participants in the negotiations on Ukraine have a positive attitude toward Istanbul as a negotiation platform, so consultations could continue in the Turkish city.

"Of course, the Istanbul option exists and all parties have a very positive attitude toward it," he noted.

Peskov also thanked the leadership of the UAE for their assistance in organizing previous rounds of talks and for the atmosphere created.

"Of course, everyone highly appreciates the atmosphere that the Emirati authorities created for these trilateral negotiations, and everyone remains grateful to the leadership of the United Arab Emirates for their assistance in organizing the negotiation process," he said.