Kremlin voices remarks on probable alterations to Kiev’s negotiation group

(MENAFN) The Kremlin has addressed reports suggesting that Ukraine’s delegation to recent peace talks in Istanbul may be reshuffled due to a lack of experience in drafting high-level diplomatic agreements. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized on Friday that in sensitive negotiations like these, “all nuances matter,” including the qualifications of the participants.

This round of peace talks—mediated by Türkiye—was the first between Russia and Ukraine since 2022, when Kiev walked away from a preliminary peace proposal in favor of pursuing a military solution. According to a TASS source, the Ukrainian delegation was reportedly ill-equipped to draft a memorandum establishing a roadmap for a truce, something Russia insists should be a current priority.

The Ukrainian team was headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and included a deputy foreign minister and several military officials. The negotiations reportedly took place under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which opposed Kiev’s demand that Russia first agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

Bloomberg reported Thursday that Washington also has concerns about certain members of the Russian delegation, particularly presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who is seen as a hardliner.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday dismissed Trump’s suggestion of the Vatican as a potential venue for future talks, calling it an unsuitable choice given the religious context. Lavrov argued that holding talks between two Orthodox nations at the seat of Catholicism would be inappropriate—especially amid Kiev’s ongoing crackdown on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which Moscow views as a serious grievance.

So far, no agreement has been reached on the location or date of the next round of negotiations.

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