Russia-Ukraine meeting: The group led by Medinsky is ready

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved the composition of the official delegation that will participate in direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul. The Kremlin press service has published the text of a special order on this decision.

According to reports, the delegation will be headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to the Russian president. He is considered an experienced negotiator. He will be accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Army Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.

A “group of experts” approved by Putin will also participate in the talks. They include Alexander Zorin, Deputy Chief of the Information Department of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Elena Podobreevskaya, Deputy Head of the Kremlin’s Humanitarian Policy Department, Alexei Polishuk, Director of the Second Department of the Foreign Ministry for the CIS Countries, and Viktor Shevtsov, Deputy Head of the Main Directorate for International Military Cooperation of the Defense Ministry.

Interestingly, the decree does not mention the Russian president himself - it is still unknown whether he will personally participate in the negotiations.

The talks, which will start in Istanbul on Thursday, May 15, will be the first direct meeting between Moscow and Kiev since the spring of 2022. After almost two years, the parties are again gathering in one place to discuss the possibility of peace.

It is worth noting that the initiative to hold the talks was put forward by Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy openly stated his readiness for this meeting a few days ago.

What is expected from the talks? What will the Russian delegation propose this time? The answers will be determined in Istanbul.

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