Ukrainian delegation coordinates positions with reps of USA, UK, Germany and France in Istanbul
Head of the President’s Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov held a meeting in Istanbul on Friday with Special Representative of the US President Keith Kellogg, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of Great Britain Jonathan Powell, Adviser to the Chancellor of Germany on Foreign Policy and Security Günter Sautter and Diplomatic Adviser to the President of France Emmanuel Bonne.
"The teams coordinated their positions before the meeting of the Ukrainian and Russian delegations, which is scheduled for today in Istanbul. The Ukrainian delegation confirmed Ukraine's commitment to peace efforts, in particular, noted the constructive steps that our state has taken over the past months and weeks. This includes, in particular, Ukraine's readiness for a complete and unconditional ceasefire, direct negotiations at the highest level, and sending a Ukrainian delegation to meet with Russian representatives in Istanbul," the message says.
The head of the President's Office emphasized that the Ukrainian delegation arrived in Istanbul to work on achieving a just peace. He separately noted the low level and unclear powers of the Russian representatives.
"The priority issue on the agenda for us is to achieve a complete, unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days. Yesterday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again confirmed his readiness for direct negotiations with Vladimir Putin, since a meeting with the person who makes all the decisions in Russia could lead to progress in the negotiations. Therefore, the priority issue on the agenda of the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul will be to understand whether the Russians are ready for a real ceasefire and direct negotiations at the highest level," he noted.
Yermak added that for peace efforts to be successful, a complete and lasting ceasefire and confidence-building measures are necessary, in particular the return of forcibly displaced Ukrainian children, civilians, and the exchange of prisoners of war in the "all for all" format.
The Ukrainian side thanked the United States, Great Britain, Germany and France for their support and leadership in advancing the peace process and emphasized the need for constructive steps towards peace on the part of the Russian Federation.
The Ukrainian delegation expressed gratitude to Turkey for providing a diplomatic platform for negotiations, as well as for its active role in facilitating the peace process. It was noted that the consistent efforts of the Turkish side play an important role in creating conditions for dialogue and finding ways to lasting peace.