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Russia has reiterated that Istanbul continues to serve as the primary venue for direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, expressing appreciation to Türkiye for its ongoing support.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing in Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded to a question from Anadolu Agency about the scheduling of the third round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks.
"Istanbul remains the main platform for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. We are grateful to Türkiye for its hospitality and support," said Zakharova.
"The dates for the talks are determined by the heads of the delegations. We are waiting for information from them," she added.
Türkiye previously hosted negotiations between Russia and Ukraine on June 2 in Istanbul. During the talks, the parties reached several agreements, including the return of 6,000 frozen bodies of Ukrainian soldiers, and a potential exchange of severely ill or wounded servicemen, as well as prisoners of war under the age of 25.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated that Ukraine is working with its allies to organize a high-level meeting aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
In a press briefing for local and foreign journalists, Umerov outlined Ukraine's ongoing efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace. "We continue working with our allies, especially the United States, to arrange a summit at the leadership level," Umerov said.
He also stressed Ukraine's support for a permanent ceasefire and a “everyone for everyone” model of prisoner exchange. "Ukraine maintains consistency in its position. We support a lasting ceasefire and the exchange of all prisoners," he added.
Umerov highlighted Ukraine's urgent need for more air defense systems and missiles to counter Russian aerial attacks effectively. "We are working with our partners on this. Meanwhile, we already have effective solutions for counter-drone measures," he noted.
Additionally, Umerov announced a new joint initiative with allied nations, dubbed "Build with Ukraine." Under this project, new defense factories will be established in cooperation with leading Ukrainian defense firms. The output from these facilities is expected to bolster Ukrainian forces on the battlefield.
Umerov added that Ukraine plans to supply several million unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to its military by next year.
According to Russian Presidential Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the date of the third round of negotiations in Istanbul will be announced once the agreed prisoner exchanges are completed. "After the completion of all agreed procedures, including the exchanges, it will be time to determine the date for the third round," Peskov told reporters.
Previously, President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that Ankara continues to engage with both Moscow and Kyiv regarding the organization of the next negotiation round.
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