Negotiations between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine have begun in Istanbul - with the mediation of Turkey, world agencies reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Ukrainian delegation will be led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. However, Zelensky described the Russian delegation as "fake" because it is led not by Vladimir Putin, but by Vladimir Medinsky. The former culture minister is considered a politician without real weight and influence.
The meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul has begun. The news was first reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, quoted by Agence France-Presse, and confirmed by a TASS source.
These are the first direct talks between the two sides in the conflict in more than three years, the Associated Press recalls. Representatives of Moscow and Kiev last sat at the same table in March 2022 - a month after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Today's meeting was opened by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, DPA notes, BTA reports. Reuters points out that the talks are taking place at a U-shaped table, with Turkish representatives sitting in the main seats.