Turkish foreign minister, US, Russian, Ukrainian delegations to meet in Istanbul on May 16

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the US, Russian and Ukrainian delegations will be in Istanbul on Friday, foreign ministry sources said.

The Turkish foreign ministry said the meeting with Fidan and the Russian delegation began Thursday at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul.

The Turkish foreign minister will host the US delegation, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Ukrainian delegation led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and the Russian delegation led by Presidential Advisor Vladimir Medinsky.

The format has not yet been determined.

Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he is sending a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul to have direct negotiations with the Russian side."

The Ukrainian president announced Defence Minister Rustem Umerov will lead the Ukrainian delegation during talks with the Russian side.

“Despite the rather low level of the Russian delegation, out of respect for President Trump, for the high-level Turkish delegation and President Erdogan, and wishing to attempt at least the first steps toward de-escalation and an end to the war, I decided to send our delegation to Istanbul — though not in full,” he said in the Turkish capital.

Zelenskyy departed Türkiye after having a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. His delegation will remain in Istanbul until Friday.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, said at a press conference in Istanbul that his team has full authority to discuss all matters necessary for resolving the conflict.

He noted that the delegation was approved by a presidential decree and prepared during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The goal of direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side is to achieve long-term peace,” Medinsky said, calling for a constructive approach to find common ground.