15.05.2025 07:20
The world is focused on the Russia-Ukraine talks that will take place in Istanbul today. While the Kremlin responded negatively to Ukraine's call for a Zelensky-Putin meeting, it was announced that Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin will be part of the delegation led by Putin's advisor Medinsky. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio is set to be in Istanbul on Friday.
On May 10, Russia responded to diplomatic calls, pointing to Turkey as a solution. It requested the initiation of negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded without delay, inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet face-to-face in Istanbul. While a peace table was being set up in Istanbul, Zelensky also came to Ankara to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
NAMES REPRESENTING UKRAINE HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED
According to news in the Ukrainian press, the names representing Ukraine in the negotiations to be held at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Working Office in Istanbul have been announced. The delegation will include Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Ihor Jovkva, and many other officials.
WHO WILL BE IN THE RUSSIAN DELEGATION?
The Kremlin announced that Putin would not participate directly in the talks. It stated that Putin has assigned a delegation consisting of senior diplomats and defense officials for the peace negotiations in Istanbul. It was expressed that Putin's advisor Medinskiy would lead the Russian delegation. The delegation will include Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.
Among the list of experts in the delegation are Alexander Zorin, Deputy Head of the Information Directorate of the General Staff of Russia, and Yevgeniya Podobreyevskaya, Deputy Head of the Humanitarian State Policy Directorate of the Presidential Administration, as well as Alexander Polishchuk, Director of the Second Department of the Commonwealth of Independent States at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Vladimir Shevtsov, Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of International Military Cooperation at the Ministry of Defense.
RUBIO WILL BE IN ISTANBUL ON FRIDAY
It is not expected that U.S. President Trump will attend the meeting in Istanbul. However, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio and U.S. Middle East representative Witkoff are expected to be in Istanbul on Friday after the first round of talks.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR AND NEGOTIATIONS
The war that erupted with Russia's attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, has largely annexed Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia regions. With the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, Ukraine lost control over approximately one-fifth of its territory.
While the U.S. and European countries provided extensive economic and military aid to Ukraine, they imposed heavy sanctions on Russia, which annexed a large area. After the talks in Belarus, the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine met at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on March 10, 2022. Turkey also brought the parties together in Istanbul on March 29, 2022.
The compromise achieved by the parties in the Istanbul negotiations was disrupted by allegations of civilian deaths in the city of Bucha, while claims emerged that the UK and the U.S. opposed the agreement. Despite the escalation of the war, Turkey continued its efforts for peace, and with the support of the United Nations (UN), it brought the parties together again that year, facilitating the signing of the Black Sea Grain Initiative Agreement, which resonated widely around the world.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, one of the rare leaders who can engage with both sides, continued to offer hosting and mediation for peace talks, and diplomacy gained momentum again with the election of Donald Trump as president in the U.S.
On May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed the unconditional resumption of direct negotiations, which had been cut off three years ago, on May 15 in Istanbul, requesting President Erdoğan to host. The Ukrainian administration responded positively to this, and the international community welcomed the agenda of the Istanbul peace talks.