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Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their first direct peace negotiations in nearly three years on Friday in Istanbul, with delegations from both countries now confirmed.
The talks, hosted by Türkiye, will also include U.S. representation as international diplomacy intensifies around the long-running conflict.
At 10:45 a.m. local time, Türkiye is expected to host a trilateral meeting involving representatives from Türkiye, the United States, and Ukraine at the Presidential Dolmabahce Working Office in Istanbul, according to sources from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Following the first session, at 12:30 p.m. local time, Türkiye will convene a second trilateral meeting with Russian and Ukrainian officials at the same location, according to a diplomatic source.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Ukrainian delegation headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and a Russian delegation led by President Vladimir Putin's advisor Vladimir Medinsky will take part in the talks scheduled for Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a decree forming an official delegation to participate in the peace negotiations. The Ukrainian team, scheduled to meet with Turkish, Russian and U.S. officials, will be headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The Ukrainian delegation includes several high-ranking officials from the country's military and security apparatus, including deputy ministers and intelligence representatives, signaling the seriousness with which Kyiv is approaching the talks despite reservations about Moscow's intentions.
The Russian delegation, headed by Putin's advisor, will include Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) Director Igor Kostyukov and Russian Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin.
The list of experts in the Russian delegation includes Deputy Director of the Information Department of the Russian General Staff Aleksandr Zorin and Deputy Director of the State Policy Department of the Russian President for the Humanitarian Field Yevgeniya Podobreyevskaya, as well as Director of the Second Department of the Commonwealth of Independent States Countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry Aleksandr Polishchyuk and the Deputy Director of the Main Directorate of International Military Cooperation of the Russian Ministry of Defense Vladimir Shevtsov.
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In a social media post, President Zelenskyy expressed concern about the composition of the Russian delegation, "Unfortunately, after learning the composition of the Russian delegation, it became clear that they are not approaching real talks seriously. So far, we do not see any real decision-makers among those who arrived."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed American participation in the talks, telling journalists in Antalya, "I will meet with (Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan) Fidan and the Ukrainian delegation. Someone from our team will be involved in negotiations with Russia. They have sent a lower-level group."
"I hope that these negotiations will take place between Ukraine and Russia in the presence of our Turkish colleagues, as well as some (representative) or members of our team at the appropriate level," Rubio added.
U.S. involvement marks a significant development in the diplomatic efforts surrounding the conflict, reflecting the Biden administration's continued engagement despite changing dynamics in U.S.-Ukraine relations.
Russian diplomat Rodion Miroshnik expressed concerns about Ukraine's approach to the talks. "What significantly worries me is that, at least from the Ukrainian side, there is a desire not to conduct negotiations on a settlement, but to conduct negotiations on a ceasefire regime," he said.
"Because a ceasefire regime that is not embedded in a program for long-term settlement to achieve an effect will, naturally, not satisfy the Russian side," Miroshnik added.
Despite his skepticism, Zelenskyy stated in his social media post that "out of respect—for President Trump, for the high-level delegations present in Türkiye, and for President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan, and out of a sincere desire to take at least the first steps toward de-escalation and ending the war, beginning with a ceasefire—I have decided to send a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul."
Zelenskyy emphasized that "the mandate for our delegation is clear: cease-fire is priority number one."
The talks are expected to be held at the presidential working office at Dolmabahce Palace in central Istanbul, the same venue where previous negotiations were held in 2022.
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