Here is a picture from earlier in the day, showing members of the Ukrainian, Turkish and US delegations together at Dolmabahçe palace. Delegations from Russia and Ukraine have met in Istanbul for the first direct talks between the two nations since 2022, when a peace process was aborted just a few weeks after Russia staged its February 2022 full-scale invasion of the country. Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, is quoted by Reuters as opening the meeting by saying he was happy to see that the will of the two sides had opened up a new window of opportunity for peace. He said it was critical for a ceasefire to be agreed as soon as possible, and for the foundations to be made for a meeting of the two nation’s leaders. More details soon … Reuters has been informed the Russia-Ukraine meeting will start shortly. That is about an hour later than had been expected. Russian media is reporting that Vladimir Medinsky has arrived at the Dolmabahçe palace for talks with the Ukrainian delegation. RIA reports a diplomatic source has told it that the head of Turkish intelligence İbrahim Kalın will join the talks. Separately, Reuters is reporting that US secretary of state Marco Rubio is meeting with security advisers from the UK, France and Germany. Tass reports that Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had this to say about the prospect of a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. During his daily briefing, the Russian president’s spokesperson said a meeting between the pair was certainly necessary, but must be preceded by careful preparation. He added that contacts between Putin and Trump are extremely important in the context of the Ukrainian settlement, and that any meeting between the two should involve a serious discussion of international affairs and regional issues, including Ukraine. Peter Beaumont is in Kyiv for the Guardian Ukraine has accused Russia of undermining peace talks in Istanbul by making new demands to exclude Turkey and the US from discussions at the last minute. As if to confirm the very low expectations of the direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey, the Latvia based Russian language news site, Meduza, is saying that it has seen a memo to Russian state controlled media reporting the meetings to talk down prospects of a breakthrough. Instead the memo suggested the talks will end deadlocked with Russia facing the prospect of renewed European sanctions which – journalist should emphasise – “will not harm the country’s development” suggesting that it sees the talks as inevitably failing. According to the report, which does not mention what Russia’s position at the talks is likely to entail, the memo instructs journalists to say that Ukraine’s position at the talks is worse than at the last direct talks in Istanbul in 2022. More broadly, however, the presence of Russian’s president Vladimir Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinsky leading the Moscow delegation is seen as part of an effort to insist that the talks represent a continuation of the 2022 talks where the Kremlin insisted on Ukraine’s effective surrender. Medinsky told journalists on 15 May that Russia considers the talks as a “continuation” of echoing Putin’s demand that any negotiations would be based on the April 2022 Istanbul protocols. Versions of those draft agreements acquired by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times last year saw Moscow demanding Ukraine give up aspirations for Nato membership, adopt a position of neutrality in its constitution, and prohibit Ukraine from hosting foreign military personnel or weapons systems. The claimed disclosure of Moscow’s news management strategy for domestic consumption comes amid reports that Russia was demanding that direct talks with Ukraine take place without US and Turkish representatives. A Ukrainian diplomatic source said the move showed Moscow was “undermining the peace effort”. “Yet another sign of the Russian side undermining the peace effort. We came to have a serious conversation, while Russians are putting forward demands, conditions. This makes us doubt whether Putin sent them to solve issues or just stall the process,” the source said on condition of anonymity. “There is only one reason for the Russians to be afraid of having the US in the room – they came to stall the process, not solve issues, and they want to hide this from the US.” Expectations for the talks – initially proposed by Putin – sank after the Russian leader declined Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call to meet at the presidential level in Turkey. The presence of Donald Trump was also suggested, but the US president is returning to the US after his trip to the Middle East. In Moscow, Dmitry Peskov has been giving the daily Kremlin press briefing. We will bring you any key lines that emerge. This, via Reuters, is from a source in the Ukraine delegation, who accused Russia of “undermining the peace effort” by demanding changes to the format of this morning’s expected meeting. Russia appears to have attempted to sideline the US and Turkish delegations and insist upon the meeting only featuring Russia and the country it invaded in 2022. “Yet another sign of the Russian side undermining the peace effort. We came to have a serious conversation, while Russians are putting forward demands, conditions. This makes us doubt whether Putin sent them to solve issues or just stall the process,” the source told the news agency on condition of anonymity. “There is only one reason for the Russians to be afraid of having the US in the room – they came to stall the process, not solve issues, and they want to hide this from the US.” While we wait to see whether and in what format talks will take place in Turkey, Russia’s defence ministry has claimed its forces have taken control of the settlement of Vilne Pole in the east of Ukraine. There appears to be a hold up in Istanbul. A diplomatic source from Ukraine has told Reuters that the Russian delegation was asking that talks take place directly without US or Turkish delegations being present. More details soon … Reuters has spoken to a source from the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul, who said there was a need for “confidence-building measures”. “We understand that for any diplomacy to be resultative, there needs to be a ceasefire. Real, durable and well monitored,” Reuters reports the source said. “There also needs to be humanitarian confidence-building measures, such as the return of Ukrainian children, detained civilians, exchange of prisoners of war on the all-for-all basis.” Suspilne, Ukraine's state broadcaster, reports that the Ukraine delegation is shortly set to meet with Russia’s delegation in Istanbul. Here is another handout photo from today’s round of diplomacy, showing Turkey’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan with Ukraine’s president’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak. Ruth Michaelson is in Istanbul for the Guardian The meeting between the Ukrainian, Turkish and American delegations has kicked off at the Dolmabahçe palace in Istanbul. Heading the Turkish side are foreign minister and Ankara’s longtime negotiator Hakan Fidan, who president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan once referred to as the state’s “secret keeper.” He is flanked by intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın, a charismatic fluent English speaker who was previously Erdoğan’s longtime adviser. The Ukrainian team is composed of defence minister Rustem Umerov, foreign minister Andriy Sybiha who has also been in Antalya in recent days for meetings with his counterparts in Nato, as well as Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to the Ukrainian president. The American delegation includes secretary of state Marco Rubio, recently arrived ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, and US envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg, who recently warned that Washington and Europe could impose far tougher sanctions on Russia if it doesn’t agree to a ceasefire. The Turkish foreign ministry has also just shared a collection of photos showing the various high level officials gathering outside in the rather gloomy Istanbul weather after the talks, including one of Rubio, Umerov, Fidan, Kalın and Yermek all smiling as they mill around in the courtyard outside Dolmabahçe. Indications from these images suggest the meeting was positive, but details remain thin on the ground. Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said that it is a good thing that the Ukrainians have come to the negotiating table and added that Russian President Vladimir now has to play ball, Reuters reports. “All the pressure is on him,” Rutte said, speaking at a meeting of EU leaders in Albania. He added that Putin had made a mistake by sending a low-level delegation to talks in Turkey. Reuters reports that sources have told it the first meeting this morning, between Turkey, the US and Ukraine, has started in Istanbul. The Turkish foreign ministry has issued this handout photo. Here is a view of vehicles arriving at Dolmabahçe palace in Istanbul ahead of today’s talks. Ruth Michaelson is in Istanbul for the Guardian Two sessions of talks are due today here in Istanbul, but expectations remain low. US secretary of state Marco Rubio has landed and is expected at the Dolmabahçe palace for talks with Ukrainian and Turkish officials. Around an hour later, just after midday local time, the Russian and Ukrainian negotiating teams will meet alongside Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan. The composition of these meetings, particularly the second one involving Russian officials, is likely to underscore Ukrainian complaints that Russian president Vladimir Putin dispatched lower-level officials to Turkey for negotiations. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the Russian delegation “decorative,” yesterday, adding that the collection of deputy ministers led by Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinsky doesn’t include “anyone who actually makes decisions.” By contrast, the Ukrainian team will be led by defence minister and experienced negotiator Rustem Umerov. Medinsky hit back at this in an extremely brief and hastily arranged press conference outside the Russian consulate in Istanbul, telling reporters in hushed tones that his team “has the power to make decisions.” The Russian side views the talks as “a continuation,” of failed talks in 2022, he added. The Russian team also held late-night talks with Fidan at the Dolmabahçe palace last night, which Medinsky described on Telegram as “productive.” The meeting appeared to last just over an hour, based on statements put out by the Turkish state news agency. Umerov’s team will be looking “to attempt at least the first steps toward de-escalation, the first steps toward ending the war – namely, a ceasefire”, according to Zelenskyy’s comments yesterday in Ankara. Washington also appears to have low expectations that today’s talks will produce a substantive outcome. Rubio told reporters yesterday during his meetings in the southern Turkish city of Antalya that there is little optimism about the potential outcome of these meetings. “I want to be frank … we don’t have high expectations of what will happen tomorrow,” he said. US president Donald Trump echoed the same sentiment as he landed in Dubai on the final stop of his tour of the Middle East, adding that little was likely to be achieved unless he could meet with Putin directly. “Nothing’s going to happen until Russian President Vladimir Putin and I get together, OK?” he said. “I didn’t think it was possible for Putin to go if I’m not there.” Reuters has a quick snap that speaking in Abu Dhabi, US president Donald Trump has said he is returning to the US. Yesterday he had said he might head to Turkey to take part in Ukraine-Russia talks if it would be helpful, suggesting that nothing would happen to develop a peace plan until he and Russian president Vladimir Putin met in person. Reuters is reporting that several vehicles have arrived at Dolmabahçe palace in Istanbul, where we are anticipating trilateral talks between Turkey, Ukraine and the US and then between Turkey, Russia and Ukraine. An air alert has sounded in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region. Ukraine has claimed that overnight Russia deployed 112 drones in attacks Ukraine, of which air defences shot down 73. Earlier this morning Ukraine’s air force reported that it had lost an F-16 fighter in a non-combat situation. Suspilne, Ukraine's state broadcaster, is reporting that a meeting in Istanbul between senior officials from Ukraine with representatives of the US, UK, France and Germany has just ended. US secretary of state Marco Rubio has arrived at Istanbul’s airport. Here are a couple of images from Istanbul, where talks are due to take place this morning which will include delegations from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the US. Director of policy planning Michael Anton is reported to be representing the US at this morning’s talks in Istanbul. Two sessions are planned, one featuring Turkey, the US and Ukraine, and a second which will see Turkey, Russia and Ukraine delegations together. More details soon … Ukraine’s air force has reported that it lost a F-16 fighter jet on Friday morning. The pilot was reported to have ejected safely. “According to preliminary data … an unusual situation arose on board. The pilot moved the aircraft away from the settlement and successfully ejected,” Reuters reports the air force said on the Telegram messaging service. Turkey will take part in two trilateral meetings on Friday in Istanbul as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine, Turkish foreign ministry sources have told Reuters, which will include direct talks between Ukraine and Russia. The news agency reports that a meeting between Turkish, US and Ukrainian officials is scheduled to take place at 7.45 GMT, followed by talks between Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian delegations at 9.30 GMT. Ukraine’s delegation will be headed up by the country’s defence minister, while Vladimir Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinsky will lead the Russian party. Hello, and welcome to our rolling coverage of the war in Ukraine, as diplomatic efforts continue in Turkey. Turkish foreign ministry sources said Turkey will take part in two trilateral meetings on Friday in Istanbul. A meeting between Turkish, US and Ukrainian officials is set for 7.45 GMT, followed by talks between Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian delegations at 9.30 GMT, the sources said. Vladimir Putin opted not to travel to Istanbul, instead sending a second-tier delegation to planned peace talks, while Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his defence minister would head up Kyiv’s team. Yesterday hopes of a major breakthrough were further dented by US President Donald Trump, who said there would be no movement without a meeting between himself and Putin. US secretary of state Marco Rubio later echoed that view, telling reporters in the Turkish resort of Antalya that Washington “didn’t have high expectations” for the Ukraine talks in Istanbul. Zelenskyy said Putin’s decision not to attend but to send what he called a “decorative” lineup showed the Russian leader was not serious about ending the war. Russia accused Ukraine of trying “to put on a show” around the talks. “We can’t be running around the world looking for Putin,” Zelenskiy said after meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara. Meanwhile British prime minister Keir Starmer said Putin “must pay the price for avoiding peace” ahead of a European Political Community meeting in Albania on Friday. We will be following today’s developments. Stick with us.
Author: Martin Belam