Russian President Vladimir Putin will not join the upcoming talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, Türkiye, international media reported.
Putin on Wednesday approved the composition of the Russian delegation for the talks, reported Xinhua, quoting a Kremlin statement.
The delegation will be led by Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky and include Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin; Igor Kostyukov, chief of the main directorate of the general staff of the Russian army; and Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.
Apart from the delegation members, a list of four experts was also approved for the talks.
In a statement on Sunday, Putin proposed the resumption of direct negotiations with Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said he would be in Türkiye on Thursday and expected to meet Putin.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy on Wednesday said that they held several meetings with the team regarding the format in Türkiye.
“I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing,” Zelenskyy wrote in his social media platform late Wednesday night.
The Russian delegation will address political and technical issues at talks in Istanbul, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Wednesday, reported Xinhua.
Ushakov said that the composition of the Russian delegation would be decided based on the topics that are on the agenda.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said he would be in Türkiye on Thursday and expected to meet Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Russia's delegation will be in Istanbul on Thursday and Moscow will announce the names of its negotiators once Putin decides.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha on Wednesday in Türkiye's city of Antalya before the upcoming Russia-Ukraine peace talks scheduled in Istanbul, reported Xinhua.
According to a report by Türkiye's state-run Anadolu Agency, Fidan told Sybiha that Türkiye is ready to provide all kinds of support, including holding talks, to help achieve peace.
After the meeting, Sybiha wrote on the social media platform X that he and Fidan thoroughly discussed ways to advance a "meaningful peace process."
"I reaffirmed Ukraine's commitment to peace, our immediate and unconditional readiness for a full and durable ceasefire, as well as our offer of the highest-level direct meeting between Ukraine and Russia," he wrote.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
