Russia claims readiness to resume Istanbul talks with Ukraine
Russia is ready to resume direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul "at any moment" if Kyiv shows political will, Alexei Ivanov, the acting Russian charge d'affaires in Türkiye, told the state news agency TASS.
"The Russian side has repeatedly emphasized that we are ready to continue direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side, with the Ukrainian delegation. And our Turkish partners consistently stress that the Istanbul platform remains at our disposal, these doors remain open to us," the Russian official said.
He claimed Moscow is ready for such talks "at any moment," if Kyiv demonstrates "political will."
Just the day before, Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov arrived in Istanbul. He announced he would work there and in the Middle East to unblock prisoner exchanges.
At the beginning of November, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated his country officially proposed a new round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, possibly including a leaders' summit in Istanbul.
This year in Türkiye, three rounds of negotiations took place between Ukrainian and Russian representatives. The last one occurred on July 23 and lasted less than an hour.
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