Head of Russian delegation says they arrived in Istanbul to conduct 'serious and professional work'

MOSCOW

Head of the Russian delegation for peace talks with Ukraine, Vladimir Medinsky said on Thursday that the Russian delegation arrived in Istanbul to conduct "serious and professional work" aimed at achieving peace.

“We arrived in Istanbul representing the President, exactly as promised on May 15th. We are committed to carrying out serious and professional work," Medinsky, who serves as the presidential adviser, said on Telegram.

The goal of the direct negotiations initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin is to achieve a lasting and sustainable peace by addressing the underlying causes of the conflict, Medinsky added.

Peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine took place in March 2022 in Istanbul. A draft peace agreement was agreed upon, but the Ukrainian side took time to consider it and subsequently withdrew from the negotiation process.

On May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed the resumption of talks, to which the Ukrainian side agreed. The negotiations were initially scheduled to begin Thursday morning at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, but were later rescheduled for the afternoon.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier that Ukraine’s delegation includes representatives from the foreign and defense ministries, as well as members of the country's intelligence services.