Putin to skip negotiation talks in Turkey, names delegation for Russia-Ukraine talks

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced the names of officials who will represent Russia in the renewed negotiations with Ukraine, set to take place in Turkey today, TASS reported.

Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky will lead the Russian delegation, which will be joined by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, and Igor Kostyukov, who heads the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

Putin has also designated a group of experts to support the talks. These include Alexander Zorin, the First Deputy Head of the General Staff’s Information Department; Yelena Podobreyevskaya, Deputy Head of the Presidential Directorate for Humanitarian Policy; Alexey Polishchuk, Director of the Second CIS Department at the Foreign Ministry; and Viktor Shevtsov, Deputy Head of the Defense Ministry’s International Military Cooperation Directorate.

Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov confirmed that the discussions with Ukraine will resume on Thursday in Istanbul. The Russian delegation heading to Istanbul plans to discuss both technical and political issues, according to TASS. President Putin formally extended an unconditional invitation to Ukraine to resume direct negotiations on May 11.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had said that Ukraine is closely watching who Russia sends to the upcoming talks in Turkey before deciding its next steps. Zelenskyy also expressed doubts about Russia’s intentions, calling recent signals from Moscow “unconvincing.”

He also said that US President Donald Trump is considering attending the talks, stating his presence “could become the strongest argument.”

Sharing a post on X on Wednesday, Zelenskyy said, “Today we held several meetings with the team regarding the format in Turkiye. I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing. We also hear that President Trump is considering attending the meeting in Turkiye. That could become the strongest argument. This week really may change a lot — but only may. Everything is being decided right now.”

Today we held several meetings with the team regarding the format in Türkiye. I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing.

We also hear that President Trump is… pic.twitter.com/DurxIKaMih

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 14, 2025

The post added, “Russia is only prolonging the war and the killings. I want to thank every country, every leader who is now putting pressure on Russia, so that the shelling finally stops, so that meaningful negotiations can take place at a level where real decisions can be made. To everyone helping peace and diplomacy.” (ANI)