Putin open to talks with Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to holding high-level direct talks with Kiev on resolving the Ukraine conflict, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced on Friday.
However, the Russian leader insists that first, results must be achieved in the negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations, Peskov explained.
He announced that Russia's team of negotiators is already heading to Istanbul to prepare for the next round of direct talks with Kiev, which is expected to be held on Monday, June 2.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has also confirmed that the Russian team will be in the Turkish city to present the Ukrainian side with Moscow's draft memorandum outlining a path towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict, as well as other ceasefire proposals.
She noted that the talks are expected to be bilateral and stressed that there are no discussions about Türkiye or any other countries mediating the negotiations.
Zakharova also acknowledged that Moscow has heard US presidential envoy Keith Kellogg's statements to the effect that representatives from Washington, London, Paris, and Berlin would be present in Istanbul on June 2. However, she stated that Moscow 'does not see any connection' between their arrival and the Russia-Ukraine talks.
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