Ukraine-Russia negotiations in Istanbul: Current details

Key questions:

• Time – preliminarily, the negotiations will begin at 19:00

• Place – the meeting is scheduled to take place at the Çırağan Palace in Istanbul

• Head of the Ukrainian delegation – Rustem Umerov

• Head of the Russian delegation – Vladimir Medinsky

• RBC-Ukraine sources: the main topic is the meeting of the leaders

• Ukrainian delegation will hold meeting with Turks in Ankara

Updated at 08:45 PM

The negotiations have officially begun. The opening remarks were delivered by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. He noted that the parties had previously exchanged memoranda on a ceasefire and expressed hope that today Ukraine and Russia will hold productive consultations.

Fidan added that Türkiye will continue to act as a mediator but urged for steady progress with each step.

"We have the necessary infrastructure in place regarding the monitoring mechanism in case a ceasefire agreement is reached. We can also facilitate prisoner exchanges based on a more structured methodology. On the occasion of the Istanbul negotiations, we have the opportunity to demonstrate that diplomacy and dialogue are more effective in achieving peace than confrontation and weapons," he said.

Updated at 8:00 PM

Russian media reported an alleged one-on-one meeting between the heads of the Ukrainian and Russian delegations. However, RBC-Ukraine sources refuted this information.

It is reported that Rustem Umerov and Vladimir Medinsky held a brief meeting in the presence of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan ahead of the main round of talks.

Updated at 7:30 PM

All delegations have already arrived at the Çırağan Palace. However, according to RBC-Ukraine sources, the talks have not yet begun.

Updated at 05:05 PM

Sources at RBC-Ukraine reported that as of 17:05, the Ukrainian delegation had arrived in Istanbul for negotiations. The Russian side is also present.

Meanwhile, another source at RBC-Ukraine says that the top priority at the talks will be the issue of a meeting between President Zelenskнy and Putin.

"Russia is dragging its feet on this issue. We are essentially coming for the third time to confirm this point. This issue is a priority. Also on the agenda: the cessation of strikes on civilian infrastructure, as well as the humanitarian track — exchanges, children, and civilians," the source added.

Will there be a meeting in Ankara?

According to RBC-Ukraine's sources, the main topic of the third round of negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation will be the meeting of the leaders.

In addition, a well-informed source of the outlet noted that before the negotiations in Istanbul, the Ukrainian delegation may hold another meeting. A meeting with the Turkish side — without the Russians — is likely to take place in Ankara.

According to the outlet’s sources, the Ukrainian side is already in Türkiye — part of the delegation is in Ankara, and part is in Istanbul.

Updated at 03:30 PM

The Ukrainian delegation, headed by NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov, has already met with the Turkish president in Ankara.

"We thanked Türkiye and President Erdoğan for their consistent political and security support for Ukraine throughout the entire war with Russia," noted Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak.

Türkiye was also thanked for its readiness to provide a negotiation platform to achieve a just peace for Ukraine. Regional security, challenges, and prospects for military cooperation were discussed with Erdoğan.

Additionally, a meeting was held with the senior adviser to the President of Turkey and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Later, Yermak reported that the necessity of a meeting at the level of leaders—Zelenskyy, Trump, Erdoğan, and Putin—was also discussed in order to move to real negotiations about ending the war.

Zelenskyy approved the composition of the delegation

The Ukrainian delegation consists of 14 members, headed by Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. The list includes, in particular, representatives of the Presidential Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Security Service of Ukraine, intelligence, and also the military.

The full list can be found in RBC-Ukraine article.

Negotiations in Türkiye: Place and time

The negotiations are expected to take place in the second half of the day in Istanbul (Türkiye) on the territory of the Çırağan Palace. The preliminary time mentioned is 19:00.

Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that the Russian delegation has already departed for Türkiye, it is headed by Vladimir Medinsky, and the composition of the delegation has not changed.

Negotiations between the Russian Federation and Ukraine: Meeting topics

On the eve of the meeting, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an address, voiced the agenda of the meeting in Istanbul. The key topics for Ukraine he named were:

• the release of our people from Russian captivity,

• the release of civilian hostages,

• the return of children who were abducted by Russia,

• a ceasefire,

• the organization of a meeting of the leaders.