ANKARA

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed prospects for peace talks and Russian "aggression" in a telephone call late Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

"We must stop repressions against civilians: asked to assist in the release of captive mayor of Melitopol and local public figures," Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy demanded the release of Melitopol’s mayor, calling his kidnapping a "crime against democracy."

Separately, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said about the more than an hour call that the pair discussed "ways to stop the fighting in Ukraine and the efforts that Israel is making on the matter."

Since Russia launched its war against Ukraine on Feb. 24, more than 2.5 million people have fled to other countries, with some 2 million displaced within the country.

At least 564 civilians have also been killed and 982 injured in Ukraine, according to UN estimates.

While the EU, US, and others have imposed sanctions on Moscow, many companies and global brands have also suspended operations in Russia.