Kremlin currently not commenting on expected Russia-Ukraine meeting in Istanbul

Russian Presidential Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has stated during a briefing that preparations for negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul are under way.

Peskov noted that the Kremlin currently does not plan to make any further comments regarding the upcoming Russia-Ukraine meeting in Istanbul.

According to him, Europe’s approach to the Ukrainian settlement aims to prolong the war and sharply contrasts with the positions of Moscow and Washington.

Media reports suggest that the Russian delegation leading the negotiations with Ukraine will be headed by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The delegation will also include Yuri Ushakov, the presidential aide for foreign policy issues.

During a meeting with journalists at the Kremlin on the night of May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed that Kyiv restart direct negotiations that were interrupted in 2022 without preconditions. It was suggested that the dialogue begin on May 15 in Istanbul.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced his intention to arrive in Turkey’s capital on May 15. The statement came after U.S. President Donald Trump called on Ukraine to immediately agree to negotiations proposed by Putin. Earlier, Zelenskyy had conditioned negotiations with Moscow on a 30-day ceasefire.