The delegation, led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, will be the same as during the opening session, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said
Vladimir Medinsky, the head of Russia’s negotiating delegation in Istanbul. © Sputnik/Ramil Sitdikov
Moscow’s negotiation team will not undergo any changes for the next round of direct talks with Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has revealed. The Russian delegation will once again be led by presidential aid, Vladimir Medinsky.
Representatives of Moscow and Kiev met in Istanbul, Türkiye on May 16, marking the first direct negotiations between the sides since 2022. The two belligerents agreed to the largest prisoner swap since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, releasing 1,000 individuals each. Both also committed to drafting memorandums outlining their respective visions for a ceasefire ahead of a new talks round.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov proposed holding the next round of talks in Istanbul next Monday, June 2.
Zakharova told the Russia-1 TV channel on Thursday that the “same delegation” will lead the next round of talks, which Moscow has suggested be held on Monday in Türkiye.
Her comments came after Medinsky, denied Ukrainian claims that Moscow is stalling the peace process. In a post on Telegram on Wednesday, he said he had called Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who leads Kiev’s negotiation team, and proposed “a date and location for the exchange of memorandums.”
“We are ready to begin substantive discussions on a framework agreement for a potential ceasefire,” the Russian official stated.
On Wednesday evening, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov confirmed that Moscow’s memorandum is ready, triggering a demand from Kiev that the document be released.
In a post on X Umerov stated that he had “handed over our document to the head of the Russian delegation, which reflects the Ukrainian position.”
“We are not opposed to further meetings with the Russians and are awaiting their ‘memorandum,’ so that the next meeting won’t be empty and can truly move us closer to ending the war,” Kiev’s top negotiator added.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday dismissed Umerov’s demands to see the Russian memorandum prior to any forthcoming talks as “unconstructive.”
“They should either confirm they are prepared for talks or say otherwise,” Peskov said.
The Ukrainian leadership had previously insisted on a 30-day pause in hostilities as a precondition for negotiations. Russia rejected the proposal, arguing that Kiev would use it to regroup its military. Ukraine later revised its position under pressure from US President Donald Trump.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that for a full ceasefire to be achieved, Ukraine must halt its mobilization, stop receiving foreign weapons, and withdraw its forces from the territory Moscow claims.