After years of conflict, Ukraine and Russia are set to hold their first direct talks in Turkey on Thursday.
Russia and Ukraine set to hold their first direct talks in Turkey after years of conflict.
After years of conflict, Ukraine and Russia are set to hold their first direct talks in Turkey on Thursday.
According to the Associated Press, the Russian delegation arrived in Istanbul for peace talks with Ukraine, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, and a Ukrainian official said a delegation including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was on its way to the Turkish capital, Ankara.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin was not part of the delegation from Moscow, according to a list released by the Kremlin on Wednesday night, leading to criticism from Western officials that the Kremlin is not serious about the peace effort.
Earlier this week, Zelenskyy issued a challenge to the Russian leader, proposing an in-person meeting in Turkey to discuss ending the over three-year conflict. He offered to travel to Ankara, meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and await Putin's arrival.
A senior Ukrainian official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that a Ukrainian delegation, including Zelenskyy, was due to arrive in Ankara on Thursday.
On Wednesday evening, Putin held a meeting with senior government officials and members of the delegation in preparation for the talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, General Staff chief Valery Gerasimov, and National Security Council secretary Sergei Shoigu attended the meeting, among others.
Kiev and its European allies had urged the Kremlin to agree to a full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire as a first step toward peace.
Putin effectively rejected the proposal and instead offered direct talks between Russia and Ukraine.