It will be the first direct contact between the two sides in more than three years.
The delegations appointed by Russia and Ukraine will meet this Friday in Istanbul to resume peace negotiations, as confirmed by the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne and the Russian state news agency TASS. This will mark the first direct contact between the two sides in over three years, as part of efforts to reach a resolution to the ongoing conflict.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will lead the Ukrainian delegation, which is expected to arrive Thursday night from Ankara. The Russian delegation, headed by presidential advisor Vladimir Medinski, is already in the city. Medinski is accompanied by a deputy foreign minister, a deputy defense minister, and a senior official from the General Staff.
From the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed modest expectations regarding the outcome of the talks. “I don’t think we have high expectations about what will happen tomorrow,” he said, while expressing hope for meaningful progress. Rubio also noted that he does not foresee substantial developments until Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump meet to discuss the region’s future.
The Turkish government confirmed that meetings will take place in Istanbul on Friday with delegations from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States in “formats yet to be determined,” according to the official Anadolu Agency, citing sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan received the Russian delegation led by Medinski on Thursday at the Dolmabahçe Palace and is scheduled to meet with both the U.S. delegation, led by Rubio, and the Ukrainian team headed by Umerov.
The structure of Friday’s meetings has not yet been finalized, but they are expected to involve different combinations of participants—reflecting the complexity of these multilateral negotiations. The discussions aim to advance toward a peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, with mediation by Turkey and participation from the United States.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, after meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, chose not to attend personally since Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be present. Zelensky is prioritizing the establishment of a ceasefire lasting at least 30 days, and he confirmed that representatives from both Turkey and the United States will also take part in the meetings.
Medinski, leading the Russian delegation, emphasized that the ultimate goal of the talks is to establish lasting peace that addresses the root causes of the conflict. Nevertheless, the Kremlin announced that Putin would not attend the meetings despite Zelensky’s expressed interest. Medinski previously participated in negotiation efforts in 2022 that did not lead to an agreement.
The renewed peace efforts reflect an increased international determination to stabilize the region, with support from mediators such as Erdoğan. During their meeting, Zelensky and Erdoğan discussed the importance of ensuring security in the Black Sea, particularly with regard to civilian navigation and mine clearance, highlighting their shared intention to prevent future tensions.
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