Negotiation start time shifted due to logistical issues.
Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia will be held in Istanbul (Turkey). The meeting of delegations will take place in person after several rounds of online negotiations. Earlier, representatives of the two countries also held a series of meetings on the territory of Belarus. Thus, the Ukrainian-Russian negotiations may begin on March 29 at 10 am. As he explained, the start of negotiations was shifted in time due to logistical problems.
What Putin says
Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that the summit of Russian President Vladimir Putin with President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky after the meeting of delegations in Istanbul will not. Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also spoke about the meeting between Zelensky and Putin. According to him, a meeting now would be counterproductive. According to him, the leaders can meet «as soon as there is clarity in resolving key issues in the Donbass, the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine».
The date of the meeting
Reuters, citing a high-ranking Turkish official, reports that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul will begin on the evening of March 28. At the same time, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that Russian-Ukrainian negotiations are unlikely to start today in Istanbul, it could happen tomorrow.
Meeting in Istanbul
On March 27, David Arakhamia, a negotiator from Ukraine, announced the meeting delegations in Turkey on March 28-30. Later it became known that during a telephone conversation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the meeting place & # 8212; Istanbul.