Russia is ready to resume talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, foreign ministry official says

Russia is ready to resume talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, foreign ministry official says
A resident hides from a Russian FPV drone behind a damaged car in Ukraine, 11 November, 2025
Reuters

Russia has expressed its readiness to resume peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, according to a statement by a Russian foreign ministry official, Alexei Polishchuk, quoted by the state news agency TASS on Wednesday.

There have been no direct talks between the two sides since their meeting in Istanbul on July 23. Polishchuk stated that Turkish officials have repeatedly urged both parties to resume the peace negotiations.

"The Russian team is ready for this, now it's up to Ukraine," he said.

Ukraine has denied the Kremlin's claims that it is responsible for the halt in peace talks, as the conflict nears its fourth year.

During the July 23 meeting, which lasted only 40 minutes, the Ukrainian delegation suggested a meeting in August between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin later indicated that Putin would be willing to meet Zelenskyy, but only in Moscow, a proposal that Kyiv rejected.

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