Moscow is in a “working mood” ahead of planned talks with Kiev, top negotiator Vladimir Medinsky has said FILE PHOTO. © Sputnik / Maksim Guchek Moscow is ready for dialogue as well as potential compromises in direct negotiations with Kiev, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky has said. Medinsky is leading Moscow’s delegation for planned peace talks in Istanbul. Russia and Ukraine have both sent delegations to Türkiye after Russian President Vladimir Putin last week offered to resume direct dialogue to find a lasting settlement to the Ukraine conflict. “We are ready for a discussion and resumption of the Istanbul talks. We are ready for possible compromises,” Medinsky told journalists in Istanbul, while still waiting for the talks to commence. “We are in a working mood,” the presidential aide added, noting that the delegation includes “senior officials from all the relevant governmental agencies.” Read more Apart from Medinsky himself, the Russian team also includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin and the head of Russia’s military intelligence, Igor Kostyukov. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky had previously ruled out talks with Moscow unless a 30-day ceasefire was agreed first, but changed his stance following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of his support for negotiations. According to the Ukrainian leader, Kiev’s team would be led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Zelensky, who has traveled to Türkiye personally, insisted he would only speak with Putin directly, but has reportedly decided to send a Ukrainian delegation for talks with the Russian team. According to the Ukrainian leader, Kiev’s team would be led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Putin has no plans to travel to Türkiye, according to the Kremlin. The prospective negotiations are expected to be a resumption of the direct peace talks between Moscow and Kiev in Istanbul in 2022, which Ukraine unilaterally walked away from. The Russian delegation was also led by Medinsky at the time.
