Ukraine, US and Türkiye start high-stakes talks in Istanbul: Early details
Photo: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The Ukrainian team met with representatives of the United States and Türkiye in Istanbul on May 16. The meeting took place ahead of Ukraine’s negotiations with Russia, says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha represented Ukraine at the meeting with the US and Türkiye. Türkiye was represented by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and the US by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
According to an informed source, another meeting also took place in Istanbul involving representatives of Ukraine and national security advisers from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and France.
Ukraine was again represented by Yermak and Sybiha, along with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The US was represented by Special Envoy Keith Kellogg.
Talks in Istanbul on May 16
Today, delegations from Ukraine and Russia will meet in Istanbul — these are the first direct talks in three years. Türkiye is expected to act as a mediator in the negotiations.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy determined the composition of the Ukrainian delegation, headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
Russian president Vladimir Putin, who refused to meet with Zelenskyy, sent his officials to Istanbul, but the level of the Russian delegation raises concerns. The Russian group is headed by Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinsky, who also took part in the 2022 negotiations.
As reported by Anadolu, the talks in Istanbul will begin with a meeting between Ukraine-US-Türkiye, followed by Ukraine-Russia-Türkiye.
More details about the negotiations in Istanbul can be found in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
