Ukraine open to 'all reasonable steps' to peace as Istanbul talks with Russia kick off

"Ukraine is fresh to return each realistic steps to extremity this war," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday, arsenic delegations from Kyiv and Moscow met successful Istanbul successful nan first effort astatine a ceasefire speech successful a format that besides includes representatives of nan US and Turkey.

However, nan Ukrainian president erstwhile much questioned his Russian counterpart's refusal to participate successful nan talks, arsenic good arsenic nan Moscow delegation's expertise to determine successful his name.

"This week we had a existent chance to return important steps to extremity this war, if only (Russian President Vladimir) Putin had not been acrophobic to travel to Turkey," Zelenskyy said.

"I was successful Ankara yesterday - and I convey President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan for his information and for hosting maine - and I was fresh for a nonstop gathering pinch Putin successful Ankara aliases successful Istanbul. And not conscionable to meet, but to resoluteness each nan important issues, successful my opinion."

"But he did not work together to anything," nan Ukrainian president added. "I impulse Putin to springiness his delegation existent powers." 

Progress successful talks could beryllium further stalled if nan Russian delegation has already tabled maximalist demands. One of these could see nan withdrawal of Ukraine's troops from parts of its ain territories arsenic a precondition for a ceasefire, arsenic reported by Ukrainian nationalist broadcaster Suspilne.

Earlier connected Friday, nan caput of Ukraine’s delegation Rustem Umerov said nan Kyiv squad already met pinch nan US Special Representative Keith Kellogg, National Security Advisor to nan UK Prime Minister Jonathan Powell, Foreign Policy and Security Adviser to nan Federal Chancellor of Germany Günter Sautter and French President Emmanuel Macron's apical negotiated advisor Emmanuel Bonne.

Ukraine’s defence curate was accompanied by nan caput of nan statesmanlike office, Andriy Yermak, and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. 

Umerov said nan sides coordinated their positions pinch their partners, and that "the Ukrainian broadside reaffirmed its committedness to bid efforts, emphasising nan constructive steps taken successful caller weeks and months."

He reiterated that Ukraine is fresh for a afloat and unconditional ceasefire and nonstop negotiations astatine nan highest level, adding, "We person travel to Istanbul to find existent ways to a sustainable and conscionable peace."

“Peace is only imaginable if Russia is consenting to return actual actions, including a afloat ceasefire for astatine slightest 30 days and humanitarian measures, specified arsenic nan return of forcibly deported Ukrainian children and captive of warfare exchanges based connected nan 'all for all' formula,” Umerov explained.

Possible ceasefire Ukraine's 'top priority'

Attending nan NATO overseas ministers gathering successful Antalya, nan US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington does not person precocious expectations for nan Friday gathering outcome.

"Frankly, astatine this point, I deliberation it’s abundantly clear that nan only measurement we’re going to person a breakthrough present is betwixt President (Donald) Trump and President (Vladimir) Putin," Rubio said.

But until that constituent is reached, this is really nan Friday schedule looks: Rubio has already met Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha successful nan morning. Separate meetings betwixt Russian and US officials are expected connected Friday arsenic well, though Rubio said he would not meet pinch Moscow's delegates himself.

After that, Turkish and US officials first meet nan Ukrainian delegation earlier nan talks proceed successful a trilateral format: Turkey-Ukraine-Russia.

The delegations are led by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and Russian statesmanlike adjutant Vladimir Medinsky. 

Ukraine’s squad are looking “to effort astatine slightest nan first steps toward de-escalation, nan first steps toward ending nan warfare – namely, a ceasefire,” according to Zelenskyy’s comments connected Thursday successful Ankara.

There are doubts whether nan Russian delegation has nan instruction for this. But Vladimir Medinsky responded, saying that his squad ‘has nan powerfulness to make decisions’ astatine a little property convention connected Thursday successful Istanbul. 

Kyiv and its world partners, including nan US, are urging Moscow to adopt an unconditional 30-day ceasefire arsenic nan first measurement toward a broader bid deal, a move that Moscow continues to reject.

Kyiv many times said it hopes to talk a imaginable ceasefire. The caput of Ukraine’s statesmanlike office, Andriy Yermak, said connected Friday that it remains Kyiv’s "top priority".

Yermak besides added that a nonstop gathering betwixt Zelenskyy and Putin, "who hasn’t arrived to Turkey for immoderate reason," is an important rumor for nan talks successful Istanbul.

Russia presented nan gathering arsenic nan continuation of nan 2022 talks and stressed nan request to reside what it sees arsenic nan "root causes" of nan war, nan word utilized by Russia to picture Ukraine’s NATO and EU aspirations, suspension of each overseas subject support to Kyiv, arsenic good arsenic demilitarisation of Ukraine.