Russian delegation departs to Istanbul for Ukraine talks, Russian news agencies say
Russian news agencies reported on Sunday 1 June that the Russian delegation has left for Istanbul to attend negotiations concerning Ukraine.
Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agencies RIA Novosti, TASS and Interfax, citing sources
Details: A source familiar with the preparation of the negotiations told Interfax that "the Russian delegation flew to Istanbul on Sunday afternoon to attend talks on Ukraine". The source added that the Russian delegation will be ready to begin negotiations on the morning of 2 June.
RIA Novosti and TASS have reported the same information.
Updated: Sources in the Turkish Foreign Ministry told TASS that the talks between Russia and Ukraine are scheduled for 13:00 on 2 June at the Çırağan Palace in Istanbul.
Background:
Earlier today, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the Ukrainian delegation, led by Defence Minister Rustem Umierov, will travel to Istanbul for negotiations with Russia.
Before that, Zelenskyy said that as of the evening of Saturday 31 May, neither Ukraine nor its partners had clear information about what the Russians intended to propose at the talks in Istanbul.
On 28 May, it emerged that Umierov had handed Russia a document outlining Ukraine's position and was awaiting their "memorandum" in response.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on what conditions Russia will put forward in its draft memorandum for a ceasefire, saying that this should be discussed privately. On 30 May, Peskov said that the Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on Monday morning for peace talks with Ukraine and will show its memorandum there.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said Russia's reluctance to officially submit its memorandum for negotiations suggests the document contains unrealistic demands and represents an attempt to stall the peace process.
It was previously reported that the Russian delegation set to attend the new round of peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on 2 June would be the same group that participated in the previous meeting, which Zelenskyy criticised for its low level.
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