The meeting follows talks between Turkish and Russian officials.
A source in the President’s Office told Suspilne public broadcaster that the Ukrainian delegation is still en route to Istanbul, and the schedule for negotiations with Moscow has not been set yet.
Ukrainian presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn previously said Ukrainian representatives planned to arrive in Istanbul on Thursday evening, with the final decision on the schedule to be made upon their arrival.
Meanwhile, Russian state propaganda outlet TASS reported that the talks would begin in Istanbul on May 16. Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation in Turkey, said his side’s goal was to achieve “long-term peace and address the root causes” of the war, reiterating Kremlin talking points.
In proposing to negotiate on the basis of March 2022 talks between Ukraine and Russia (also held in Istanbul), Moscow is essentially demanding Ukraine’s capitulation. During those meetings, the Kremlin pushed for severe cuts to the size of the Ukrainian military and a constitutional amendment ruling out NATO membership. Acceding to these demands would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future Russian aggression, an objective the Kremlin clearly continues to pursue.