Ukraine and Russia are set to resume peace talks in Istanbul, aiming to find a path toward ending the ongoing conflict. Despite the commitment to dialogue, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remains skeptical about Moscow's intentions.
Speaking after discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine will send a delegation to the talks, though he will not personally attend. "We are committed to pursuing peace, but we have doubts about the sincerity of the Russian delegation," Zelenskyy told reporters.
The Ukrainian team, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, will include military and intelligence officials. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is awaiting confirmation from both Washington and Moscow regarding the exact schedule of the negotiations. He also expressed willingness to engage in discussions if an unconditional ceasefire is on the table at the leadership level.
On the Russian side, Vladimir Medinsky, head of the delegation and a senior aide to President Vladimir Putin, stated that their team is prepared to take a "constructive approach" in finding possible solutions. "Our goal is to secure a lasting peace by addressing the underlying causes of the conflict," Medinsky said outside the Russian consulate in Istanbul.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan highlighted that both Russia and Ukraine have, in principle, expressed willingness for a ceasefire, though each side has its own conditions. "Ukraine favors an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, while Russia insists on agreeing on certain modalities first," Fidan explained.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, attending a NATO meeting in Antalya, voiced support for the negotiations. "Washington supports a negotiated settlement. We want to see progress over the next couple of days," he stated.
The upcoming talks follow a proposal by President Putin to resume direct negotiations. While Zelenskyy has shown openness to a face-to-face meeting with Putin, the Kremlin has announced that Putin will not attend the Istanbul talks. The last direct talks between the two nations in March 2022 failed to halt the fighting.
