Ukraine Announces Rustem Umerov to Lead Delegation in Turkey Talks with Russia; Kremlin Downplays Expectations

Kokcha News Agency: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that Rustem Umerov, the former defense minister and current Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, will lead Ukraine’s delegation in the upcoming talks with Russia, scheduled to take place in Turkey on Wednesday, July 23.

In a statement on his social media account, Zelenskyy said, “The delegation will be headed by Rustem Umerov and will include representatives from Ukrainian intelligence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Office of the President.”

The Russian delegation, as in previous rounds of talks, will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, a key Russian negotiator. The Kremlin confirmed that there will be no changes to the composition of its delegation.

Zelenskyy outlined the agenda for the talks, which will focus on the release of Ukrainian prisoners, the return of abducted children, the cessation of deaths, and preparations for a potential leaders’ summit.

Kremlin Cautions Against High Expectations:
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov addressed the upcoming talks, stating that there is no reason to expect “miraculous developments.” Peskov emphasized that there is still much work to be done before any high-level meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy can take place.

Peskov noted that the agenda is complex and will involve discussions on the memorandums exchanged by both sides. He also stated that it is not possible to provide a timeline for reaching a peace agreement, given the current circumstances.

Previous Talks in Istanbul:
This will be the third time that Ukrainian and Russian delegations meet in Istanbul. Previous meetings on May 16 and June 2 resulted only in prisoner exchanges, with no significant progress made toward a ceasefire or broader peace agreement.

Zelenskyy had previously announced that the new round of talks would take place in Turkey, with Russian state news agency TASS reporting that the meeting could occur on July 24 in Istanbul.