Zelenskyy announces date of new talks with Russia in Istanbul
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The Ukrainian and Russian delegations will hold a third round of negotiations in Istanbul later this week. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 23, according to the evening address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to the head of the Ukrainian state, on July 21, he discussed with Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, preparations for another prisoner exchange and a new meeting with the Russian side in Türkiye.
"Umerov reported that the meeting is planned for Wednesday. More details will be available tomorrow," he noted.
Ukraine and Russia’s plans for negotiations
The talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul will mark the third round in the past few months.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized today, July 21, that the upcoming meeting with the Russians is expected to focus on the return of prisoners, the repatriation of children deported by Russia, and preparations for a leaders' meeting.
According to Zelenskyy, only at a leaders’ meeting can tangible results be achieved to secure peace between Ukraine and Russia.
For its part, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow intends to discuss memorandums on ending the war, which the two sides had previously exchanged.
The Russian memorandum is essentially an ultimatum containing demands that are unacceptable for Ukraine.
