Russia expresses readiness to resume Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul

Russia has reaffirmed its readiness to resume peace negotiations with Ukraine through the Istanbul diplomatic platform, though Moscow contends that Kyiv has yet to respond to earlier negotiation proposals. Russian Chargé d'Affaires in Türkiye Alexey Ivanov confirmed Wednesday that the Istanbul channel remains available for renewed dialogue between the conflicting parties, highlighting Türkiye's continued role as a potential mediation venue.

Diplomatic Channels and Previous Initiatives

Ivanov emphasized that Russian officials have consistently expressed willingness to continue direct negotiations with Ukrainian counterparts, noting that "our Turkish partners have also consistently stressed that the Istanbul platform remains available to us — these doors remain open." The diplomat referenced Moscow's previous proposals to establish three online working groups addressing different conflict dimensions but lamented the absence of positive Ukrainian responses to these initiatives, while maintaining Russian openness to dialogue conditional on Ukrainian political will.

Ukrainian Negotiator's Istanbul Visit

The Russian statement coincided with Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov's arrival in Istanbul on Tuesday. Ukraine's lead representative for direct talks with Russia announced via Telegram that his visit aimed to reactivate prisoner of war exchanges, stating "These days, I will be working in Türkiye and the Middle East to unblock the exchange process. There was an agreement, and we need to implement it," indicating continued humanitarian engagement despite broader diplomatic stalemates.

Previous Negotiating Rounds and Regional Mediation

Russia and Ukraine conducted three rounds of renewed peace discussions in Istanbul earlier this year, resulting in agreements covering prisoner and civilian exchanges alongside memorandums outlining respective missions to conclude the conflict that began in February 2022. Moscow's proposed online working groups addressing political, military, and humanitarian issues have seen limited progress, while other regional actors including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have joined Türkiye in mediating humanitarian exchanges between the warring nations, underscoring the complex multilateral diplomacy surrounding the conflict.