A separate meeting between representatives from the United States, Ukraine, and Turkey, which is hosting the upcoming Istanbul talks between Ukraine and Russia’s delegations, has ended.
The talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul are expected to begin shortly, with low expectations for a possible breakthrough.
According to sources from Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the trilateral meeting involving Turkey, Russia, and Ukraine is scheduled to take place at 12:30 p.m. local time.
Following the consultations between Turkey, Ukraine, and the US, a Ukrainian diplomatic source stated that Kyiv views achieving a ceasefire as the top priority in its discussions with the Russian delegation.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived in Istanbul on Friday morning, voiced skepticism about the outcome of the negotiations. He emphasized that substantial progress would likely require direct communication between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
