Russia-Ukraine peace talks

The first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in more than three years are scheduled to take place in Türkiye’s largest city, Istanbul, on Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered on Sunday to resume direct dialogue between Moscow and Kiev to find a lasting settlement that would address the root causes of the conflict.

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, who had previously ruled out any talks with Moscow, only agreed to attend following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of his support for talks, his claim that Kiev should accept it “immediately,” and that he is also ready to travel to Istanbul.

While Zelensky has insisted he would only speak with Putin directly, the Russian president has so far given no indication that he is planning to travel to Türkiye.

Moscow and Ukraine last held direct talks in April 2022, also in Istanbul. Following reports that an agreement had been reached, Kiev unilaterally withdrew from the talks. President Putin later blamed Western interference and, in particular, then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who had reportedly urged Kiev to “just continue fighting,” for derailing the peace process.

Russia, which had withdrawn its forces from the outskirts of Kiev as a goodwill gesture, later accused Ukraine of backtracking, saying it had lost trust in Ukraine’s negotiators.

The goal of the talks is to secure “a lasting peace,” the Russian president’s aide, Vladimir Medinsky, who is leading the Russian delegation in Istanbul, has told journalists. “We see these talks as the continuation of the Istanbul peace process that was disrupted by the Ukrainian side three years ago,” he said.

The Russian team’s agenda and position were defined by President Vladimir Putin following a special National Security Council meeting that involved Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, as well as top intelligence and security officials, and top-level military commanders involved in the Russian military campaign against Kiev, he added.

Zelensky stated that he refuses to recognize Russia’s new territories as part of the Russian Federation. “Crimea is Ukraine. Crimea is a Ukrainian peninsula,” he said following talks with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has confirmed that he will be sending a delegation to the talks with Russia in Istanbul, adding that he had decided to do so out of respect for US President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Ukrainian team, which will be headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, is planning to discuss a ceasefire during the talks with the Russian side, he said.

Kiev’s negotiators will remain in Istanbul on Friday as the negotiations could well go into the second day, Zelensky added.

Moscow is ready to discuss “possible compromises” during direct talks with Kiev, the head of the Russian delegation and presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, has said.

The Russian team is prepared to resume the negotiating process with Ukraine and remains “in a good working mood,” Medinsky told journalists.

Vladimir Zelensky has decided to send a delegation to the talks with the Russian team in Istanbul, AFP has reported, citing unnamed senior Ukrainian official. According to the agency, the Ukrainian leader will not take part in the negotiations himself.

Donald Trump has said he is “not disappointed” with the level of the delegation sent by Russia for the talks in Istanbul. Vladimir Zelensky had earlier claimed it was insufficient.

“Why would I be disappointed? We just took in $4 trillion and he says ‘are you disappointed about a delegation?’,” Trump replied when asked about the issue, referring to deals announced during his tour of the Middle East.

“Look, nothing is going to happen until Putin and I get together. Okay?” the US president added.

Moscow’s delegation for the talks in Türkiye comprises presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin, and the head of Russia’s military intelligence, Igor Kostyukov.