Russia Insisted on US Absence From Istanbul Talks, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Confirms

Russia insisted on the absence of US representatives during the negotiations in Istanbul — both in May and at the most recent meeting. This was stated by Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi on May 2.

"At the first meeting in Istanbul in May, the Russians insisted that the Americans not be in the room. We don’t understand why this is so critical for them. In our view, the Americans should be present. What they are trying to hide is a question for them," he said.

According to Tykhyi, the same demand was made this time as well. As a result, the US delegation was absent, and Turkey, as the host country, served as the intermediary.

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Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is open to a potential meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former US President Donald Trump, provided that substantial preparations are made.

However, President Zelenskyy has cast doubt on Moscow’s intentions, stating that neither Ukraine nor its international partners have received any clear indication of what Russia plans to propose in the upcoming negotiations, further calling into question the Kremlin’s commitment to serious dialogue.

Earlier, the Ukrainian delegation had arrived in Istanbul for a second round of talks with representatives of the Russian Federation.

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