Ukraine-Russia talks may be held without intermediaries - sources
Photo: Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian delegation (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul are likely to be held in a bilateral format, sources say.
According to the sources, it was the Russian side that opposed the presence of representatives of the United States and Türkiye during the talks.
At the same time, the presence of the Turkish side is likely to be limited to a welcoming speech.
The talks between Ukraine and Russia will take place after 12:30 p.m. Among the priority issues for the Ukrainian delegation is the ceasefire at the front.
Ukraine-Russia talks in Türkiye
Vladimir Putin recently proposed to resume talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15, while rejecting the West's idea of a 30-day ceasefire.
In response, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was ready for a personal meeting, but Russia sent a delegation to Türkiye.
Initially, the talks between the parties were supposed to take place on May 15, but they were postponed to May 16.
According to media reports, a meeting in the Ukraine-US-Türkiye format is scheduled for today in Istanbul, followed by talks between Ukraine and Russia. For more details, see RBC-Ukraine's article.
