Istanbul talks: Source reveals main topic of the meeting
Photo: Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The Ukrainian delegation is expected to raise the possibility of a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin during negotiations with the Russian side in Istanbul, according to a source familiar with the matter.
"The main topic is a meeting between the leaders. That's what our delegation came to discuss," the source said.
It's worth noting that today, July 23, Istanbul is set to host the third round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. The Ukrainian delegation is headed by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (RNBO), Rustem Umerov.
Additionally, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin could only take place once draft memorandums between Kyiv and Moscow are agreed upon.
Ukraine-Russia negotiations
Following Donald Trump's return to the presidency of the United States, Washington has stepped up efforts to seek a diplomatic resolution to the full-scale war in Ukraine. The US administration has organized a series of separate meetings with both Ukrainian and Russian representatives, focusing on the potential implementation of an unconditional ceasefire. However, the Kremlin immediately dismissed the initiative.
Despite this, Kyiv and Moscow have continued direct talks. Two rounds of negotiations have already taken place. During the second round, held on May 16, both sides agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange in a "1000-for-1000" format. The exchange was carried out in three stages from May 23 to May 25.
Political analyst and international relations expert Maksym Nesvitailov shared his expectations for the third round of talks in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.
