Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
A Russian delegation will await its Ukrainian counterparts to begin direct peace talks at 10 a.m. local time in Istanbul on May 16, Vladimir Medinsky, Russia's delegation lead and advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
Medinsky claimed that they expect the Ukrainian delegation to arrive for the morning meeting. However, Ukraine's delegation has not yet publicly signalled its intentions on the timing of the talks.
Russian state-media outlet TASS reported, citing a source in the Turkish Foreign Ministry, that members from a Turkish delegation will also participate in a trilateral meeting.
Medinsky added that Russia and Turkey held discussions earlier on May 15 to discuss the beginning of direct negotiations.
The Kyiv Independent cannot verify claims made by Russian officials or state-media outlets.
After Moscow proposed to hold peace talks in Turkey this week, President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed and invited Putin for a face-to-face meeting. The Russian leader declined to attend and appointed his aide, Vladimir Medinsky, to lead the talks.
The Ukrainian delegation that arrived in Turkey on May 15 consisted of top Ukrainian officials, including President Zelensky, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, representatives of the Presidential Office, the military, and intelligence agencies.
However, after a three-hour meeting with Turkish President Erdogan, Zelensky announced that a smaller delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov would travel to Istanbul to discuss a potential ceasefire.
Russian state news agency TASS reported on May 15 that negotiations would begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, a claim the Ukrainian delegation dismissed as "fake news."
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova later in the day claimed that talks would be held mid-day on May 15, which the Turkish government also denied.
Speaking to journalists upon his arrival at Ankara airport, Zelensky said that the Ukrainian delegation is of the "highest level."
The Russian delegation consists of Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Military Intelligence Director Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.
The list is notably void of top Russian politicians, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Putin's foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, was also absent from the list.
Commenting on the possible start of direct peace talks, U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio said on May 15 peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey are unlikely to yield meaningful progress, calling the low-level Russian delegation "not indicative of one that’s going to lead to a major breakthrough."
Rubio said that meaningful progress would likely only come through a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The same idea was echoed by Trump earlier in the day.
"The next thing that has to happen for there to be a breakthrough is going to involve President Trump's direct involvement," Rubio said. "And I believe the president shares my assessment."
The Kyiv Independent news desk
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