Ukrainian delegation meets with Erdogan: preparations for talks with Russians continue in Istanbul

On July 23, the Ukrainian delegation arrived in Turkey to participate in the third round of talks with representatives of Russia. The first meeting took place in Ankara with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The next stage will be negotiations in Istanbul.

The Ukrainian delegation is headed by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov. The main goal of the meetings is to prepare for a possible contact between the leaders of both countries.

After the talks in the capital, the Ukrainian delegation plans to organize a meeting with the Russian side in Istanbul.

Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak confirmed the fact of the talks with Erdogan, noting the discussion of the security situation, challenges to stability in the region, and areas for deepening cooperation in the defense sector between Ukraine and Turkey.

In addition to the meeting with Erdogan, the Ukrainian team also spoke with his senior advisor, Akif Çağatay Kilic, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

According to the Russian news agency TASS, a Russian delegation has also arrived in Turkey, headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It is noted that the meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian sides in Istanbul may take place on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the implementation of previous agreements, in particular on the exchange of prisoners, as well as organizational aspects and schedules of both sides.