The Russian delegation has departed for Istanbul to participate in new rounds of negotiations with Ukraine, Russian media confirmed
On Sunday, Russian official news agencies reported that the Russian delegation departed for Istanbul to attend scheduled negotiations with the Ukrainian side. According to information from TASS, RIA Novosti, and Interfax, this step was taken as part of preparations for the next phase of diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict on Ukrainian territory. Sources indicate that Russian representatives are expected to arrive in the Turkish capital by Sunday afternoon, with plans to begin negotiations in the early hours of June 2. The information has been confirmed by sources familiar with the detailed process of negotiation preparations, who emphasize the readiness of the Russian delegation to engage in consultations starting from the beginning of the second day of June. What led up to this step? The previous days were filled with political statements and diplomatic signals. On Sunday afternoon, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky officially announced that the Ukrainian delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, will travel to Istanbul for negotiations with the Russian side. Zelensky noted earlier that as of Saturday evening, neither Ukraine nor its international partners had clear information regarding the specific proposal or objectives that Russia intends to bring to the negotiating table in Turkey. This leaves questions open about the format and content of the upcoming talks. Background of Tensions On May 28, it became known that Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov handed over a document to Russia reflecting Ukraine’s stance in the conflict and its demands. In response, Ukraine expects to receive a "memorandum" from Russia — an official document outlining its proposals and conditions for a ceasefire and resuming peace negotiations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in turn, refused to comment in detail on the contents of the upcoming Russian memorandum, stating that discussions of these conditions should take place in a closed format to avoid speculation and misunderstandings. On May 30, Peskov stated that the Russian delegation would arrive in Istanbul on Monday morning to hold negotiations with the Ukrainian side and would present its memorandum as an official document for resolution. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tykhiy expressed skepticism about Russia’s readiness to provide open documents, emphasizing that the lack of an official transfer of the memorandum indicates the unreasonable nature of some Russian demands and its desire to delay the peace process de facto. Importantly, it was previously stated that the same Russian delegation that participated in earlier meetings would be heading to Istanbul for the planned negotiations on June 2. However, these negotiations have faced criticism from Ukrainian authorities, which noted that the level of preparation and professionalism of the Russian delegation leaves much to be desired. President Zelensky openly voiced dissatisfaction with the level of preparation, justifying his criticism by asserting that Russia seeks to prolong the diplomatic process by employing unrealistic demands and ambiguous language in its documents. Overall, the situation surrounding the upcoming talks in Istanbul remains tense and dynamic. The Russian delegation faces a challenging diplomatic marathon that could determine the future course of the conflict. Politicians and diplomatic players on all sides are closely watching every move in this multi-hour struggle for the possibility of achieving peace or, alternatively, continuing confrontation.