Russia, Ukraine expected to discuss peace memorandums in Istanbul: Kremlin

MOSCOW/KIEV-- The Kremlin announced Friday that it expects both Russian and Ukrainian draft peace memorandums to be reviewed during upcoming negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russian delegation is scheduled to depart for Istanbul and will be ready to begin the next round of talks with Ukraine on Monday morning.

Peskov added that the two sides will discuss conditions for a potential temporary truce, with safe navigation in the Black Sea likely to be a key component of any future agreement.

He also noted that high-level contacts between Russian, U.S., and Ukrainian leaders are possible, depending on the outcome of the talks.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said Wednesday that Ukraine expects to receive Russia's draft peace memorandum ahead of Monday's meeting. He said that Ukraine had already delivered its own memorandum to the head of the Russian delegation. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Friday that the Russian delegation will arrive with a draft memorandum and additional ceasefire proposals.

Also on Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan discussed preparations for the new round of Russia-Ukraine talks during a phone call, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Fidan, who visited Russia earlier this week and is in Kyiv on Friday, briefed Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Russia's position regarding the ongoing peace process, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Russia and Ukraine last held direct talks on May 16 -- their first face-to-face negotiations since March 2022. Those talks, also held in Istanbul, concluded without a ceasefire agreement.