After three years, direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are expected to restart today, with the Russian presidential assistant serving as head of the Russian delegation.

**Source**: The Paper  

Russia and Ukraine plan to hold direct negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey on May 15. Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed the list of the Russian delegation, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Turkey. This meeting will be the first direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine since March 2022.  

### Who Will Participate?  

**Russian Side**: Negotiators include senior officials and experts  

On the 14th local time, according to a statement released by the Kremlin website, Russian President Putin confirmed the list of the Russian delegation for the Russia-Ukraine negotiations.  

The Russian delegation includes Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Galuzin, Head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Sergei Kostyukov, Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, and four expert members.  

It is reported that these four experts are officials from the Information Management Bureau of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, the Presidential Administration for Humanitarian and National Policy, the Second Department of the Foreign Ministry responsible for CIS Affairs, and the General Directorate of International Military Cooperation of the Defense Ministry.  

Ukrainian: The specific member list has not been announced yet

On the 14th local time, Reuters cited sources as saying that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had departed for Turkey.  

In his routine video address, Zelensky stated that he is currently awaiting Russia's confirmation of the composition of its delegation to the Istanbul talks in Turkey before planning Ukraine's actions. "Today, we held multiple meetings with the team on the format of the talks in Turkey. I am waiting for the Russian side's personnel to arrive, after which I will determine what measures Ukraine should take. We have also heard that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering the possibility of visiting Turkey," Zelensky said.  

**U.S. Secretary of State Rubio Has Arrived in Turkey**  

It is understood that U.S. Secretary of State Rubio arrived in Turkey on the 14th to prepare for the possible Russia-Ukraine talks.  

According to a U.S. announcement on the 13th, Secretary of State Rubio, U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Affairs David Satterfield Wittkopf, and Special Envoy for Ukrainian Affairs Keith Kellogg will travel to Istanbul, Turkey, to participate in the potential Russia-Ukraine negotiations. The U.S. State Department said on the 13th that the U.S. views these Russia-Ukraine talks as a "critical opportunity" to achieve peace.  

### What Will Be Discussed? Mainly political and technical issues  

On the 13th, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the issues Russia will raise in the negotiations include how to ensure a reliable and sustainable resolution to the current conflict and address its root causes. Ryabkov did not predict the possible outcome of the talks but emphasized that Russia is willing to negotiate seriously and responsibly.  

Previously, in an interview, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said that the Russian delegation would discuss political and "massive" technical issues at the Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul, Turkey.  

**Peskov: It Is Too Early to Discuss the Content and Results of the Russia-Ukraine Talks**  

On the 14th local time, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told CCTV reporters that it is too early to discuss the content and results of the Russia-Ukraine talks. The Russian delegation will wait for the Ukrainian delegation in Turkey on the 15th. At present, the Russian side does not know the composition of the Ukrainian delegation or the form in which the negotiations will be conducted. In this case, patience should be exercised regarding the talks. He also noted that the new realities of the current phase must be taken into account in the upcoming negotiations.  

**Ukrainian Side: If Meeting with Putin, a Comprehensive Ceasefire and Prisoner Exchange Will Be the Main Topics**  

Zelensky emphasized on the 13th that he is ready to meet with Putin, but no preparations or discussions have been made for other forms of talks besides direct meetings between the top leaders. He stressed that Ukraine has always taken a constructive stance and supports all paths that can end the conflict. Zelensky said that if he meets with Putin, a comprehensive ceasefire and prisoner exchange will be the main topics.  

**Ukrainian Side: Zelensky Will Only Accept a Meeting with Putin, Refusing to Meet Other Russian Representatives**  

On the 13th local time, Advisor to the Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, Mykhailo Podolyak, stated on a Ukrainian TV program that President Zelensky will not meet with any Russian representatives other than President Putin in Istanbul. Podolyak said that if Putin arrives in Istanbul for negotiations, Ukraine may amend its previous decree banning negotiations with Putin.  

### Multiple Rounds of Negotiations Between Russia and Ukraine After the Outbreak of the Conflict  

Shortly after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, the two sides held multiple rounds of negotiations. At that time, they were close to reaching agreements on many issues.  

From late February to early March 2022, the Russian and Ukrainian sides held three rounds of negotiations in Belarus. The fourth round was conducted online.  

On March 29, 2022, the fifth round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations was held in Istanbul, Turkey. Although differences remained after this round, the two sides were close to reaching agreements on many key issues. The Russian side committed to significantly reducing military operations in the directions of Kyiv and Chernihiv, while the Ukrainian side proposed establishing a neutral status under international security guarantees.  

However, after April of that year, the Russia-Ukraine negotiations broke off.  

**In March This Year, U.S. Shuttle Talks with Russia and Ukraine Failed to Resolve Issues**  

From March 23 to 25 this year, the United States held separate talks with Russia and Ukraine in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. On March 24, U.S.-Russian professional technical delegations held talks. On March 23 and 25, a Ukrainian delegation composed of military, diplomatic, and energy officials consulted with U.S. delegations on "technical" issues related to a ceasefire.  

Although the U.S. claimed that agreements were reached with Russia and Ukraine on ensuring navigation safety in the Black Sea and banning attacks on energy facilities in both countries, in reality, the three sides had obvious differences on substantive issues such as ceasefire conditions and security guarantees. These talks could not resolve the core demands of Russia and Ukraine, let alone end the conflict or achieve a comprehensive ceasefire.  

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