ISTANBUL, Turkiye: Russian and Ukrainian delegations to arrive in Istanbul ahead of crucial talks scheduled for Monday at the Ciragan Palace to negotiate a ceasefire and explore steps toward a lasting peace agreement, officials from both countries said.
Russian state news agency TASS, citing anonymous sources, confirmed the departure of Moscow’s delegation, led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, earlier said Russia had invited Ukraine to hold a new round of negotiations in Istanbul on 2 June.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also confirmed on Sunday that Kyiv was sending its delegation, led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.
In a statement on Telegram, Zelenskyy said he had outlined Ukraine’s position ahead of the talks. He listed Ukraine’s core demands, including a complete and unconditional ceasefire, the release of all prisoners, and the return of children who had been taken to Russia.
Reuters reported that it had seen the full text of Ukraine’s proposed framework for peace, which lays out a detailed plan to guide the negotiations.
The document calls for a full ceasefire on land, at sea, and in the air as the necessary first step to begin talks. It also proposes the return of all deported Ukrainian children and the exchange of all prisoners, including the release of all hostages currently held by Russia, Reuters reported.
Ukraine is also demanding strong international security guarantees to prevent any future aggression.
The proposal affirms Ukraine’s right to decide its own foreign policy path, including the option to join the European Union and NATO.
It states that there should be no restrictions on Ukraine’s armed forces or its right to host troops from friendly nations.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on Saturday, expressed optimism that progress could be made during the upcoming talks.
He described the 16 May meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul—their first direct contact in three years—as a “new start.”
Fidan also noted that Ankara was hopeful the talks would lead to significant progress on technical matters, potentially opening the door to a broader political settlement.
