Talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul will begin on Friday 16 May.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda sources; Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne

Details: Sources told Ukrainska Pravda that the negotiations will start on Friday. No meetings are scheduled for Thursday 15 May.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are also expected in Istanbul.

Suspilne’s sources say Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has left Türkiye for Albania, where the European Political Community Summit is due to begin on 16 May.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian delegation, which is led by Defence Minister Rustem Umierov, will arrive in Istanbul late on Thursday for the negotiations with Russia.

Background:

• Zelenskyy travelled to Ankara in anticipation of the arrival of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that Putin would not travel to Istanbul for negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation.
• Instead, Russia sent a low-level delegation headed by Putin aide Vladimir Medinsky.
• Despite this, Zelenskyy decided to send a Ukrainian delegation led by Umierov to the talks in Istanbul.
• Zelenskyy stated that the US and Türkiye will act as mediators in the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon !