Moscow/Kyiv/Istanbul, June 2 (UNI) After a short but tense wait, the second round of peace talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations is set to begin at Istanbul’s historic Ciragan Palace.
The Russian delegation is led by Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky and includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, GRU Chief Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin.
The delegation, led by the country's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov also includes, Deputy Chief of the General Staff Yevhen Ostriansky, General Staff officer Andrii Fomin, and Verkhovna Rada representative Yurii Kovbasa, reports Sputnik.
Moderated by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the meeting will reportedly also be attended by the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation Director Ibrahim Kalin, according to TASS.
The Russian-state-media said that the meeting will be held at 1:00 p.m. Moscow time, and will be opened by Fidan, which will be broadcasted live. "National Intelligence Organisation Director Ibrahim Kalin is also expected to attend the meeting."
However, it remains unclear whether this meeting will be a bilateral meet with Istanbul merely mediating, or will be a trilateral forum. On May 30, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Turkey or any other party would not be mediating the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.
Following the previous talks in May 16, there may likely be a shift in the dynamics of engagement between Moscow and Kyiv, following the latter's sudden bombing of five Russian airbases and the destruction of 40 Russian aircraft just two days before the scheduled peace talks.
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