(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov revealed on Tuesday that Istanbul could serve as the venue for the next round of direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

“As for the second round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, if you ask me, I would again turn to our Turkish friends. Istanbul is very good,” Lavrov stated during a joint press briefing after discussions with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Moscow.

Türkiye played a pivotal role in hosting the first direct talks in over three years on May 16 in Istanbul. During those discussions, both sides consented to a major prisoner swap, involving approximately 1,000 individuals from each side, and committed to continuing dialogue toward achieving a ceasefire.

The meeting between Lavrov and Fidan took place on the second day of Fidan’s official visit to Moscow. Prior to this, Fidan held talks with Vladimir Medinsky, a presidential aide and the head of the Russian delegation at the May 16 Istanbul negotiations, as well as with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment, Fidan reiterated the country’s readiness to facilitate further peace talks and conveyed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s strong backing of the ongoing diplomatic efforts.

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