The start of direct negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul

Istanbul began negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations on the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, according to the Russian TASS agency.

The meeting is held at the Turkish President’s Labor Office in Dolma Bahjah closed.

The talks are attended by the Russian side, Russian Assistant President Vladimir Midinski, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galozin, head of the main directorate of the General Staff of the Army, Igor Costiocov, and Deputy Minister of Defense Alexander Fumin.

The Ukrainian delegation is headed by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustam Omirov. The group of negotiators also includes the First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhai Kislita, Vice -President of the Ukrainian Security Agency, Olexander Buckerad, First Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Olet Logovskoy, and Deputy Chairman of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Olex Chevchanko and others.

Before that, the meeting of the delegation of Türkiye, the United States of America and Ukraine ended in Istanbul, which lasted for an hour.

After some time, the car of Russian assistant President Vladimir Midinski arrived at the place of negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul.

The meeting started with a speech delivered by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. According to him, the current stage of the settlement in Ukraine is critical. He also said that Türkiye believes that it is important that Moscow and Kiev respond to the calls of US President Donald Trump and Rajab Tayyip Erdogan for peace.

At the same time, the Russian delegation opposed the presence of US representatives in direct talks between Russia and Ukraine. According to the Russian side’s request, the Turkish actor should leave direct conversations between Moscow and Kiev after greetings.