Russia Says Delegation Will Wait for Ukraine in Istanbul Peace Talks

On May 13, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced that the Russian delegation will be present in Istanbul on May 15, expecting representatives from Ukraine for possible negotiations.

“Our delegation will be there and will wait for the Ukrainian side,” Peskov stated during an interview for the program Moscow. Kremlin.

Peskov did not disclose the scheduled time for the potential meeting, nor did he comment on recent statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding negotiations in Türkiye.

When asked who would represent Russia, Peskov declined to provide specifics, saying only, “We haven’t revealed that yet.” He reiterated an earlier position, noting that the names would be made public “as soon as the president deems it necessary.”

According to a report by The Washington Post on Tuesday, May 13, former high-ranking Kremlin officials—speaking on condition of anonymity—suggested that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov may be among the delegates expected to travel to Türkiye.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit Türkiye on May 15 for peace talks, with expectations that the Russian leader may also attend. The talks are set to follow a proposed ceasefire beginning on May 12.