Moscow sees the Istanbul talks with Kyiv as a “continuation” of failed negotiations in 2022 at the start of its invasion, Russia’s delegation head and presidential aide, Vladimir Medinsky, said on Thursday. Medinsky led the Russian delegation in the 2022 negotiations as well.
“We are ready for a discussion and resumption of the Istanbul talks. We are ready for possible compromises,” he told journalists before the talks began.
Fending off criticism regarding the absence of President Putin, Medinsky said the Kremlin team had “senior officials from all the relevant governmental agencies.”
Apart from Medinsky, the Russian delegation consists of Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin, and the head of Russia’s military intelligence, Igor Kostyukov.
