Istanbul - Saba:
The Turkish presidency announced on Tuesday that the talks held between Russia and Ukraine on Monday at Ciragan Palace in Istanbul offer hope for a ceasefire, and that the Turkish side will continue its mediation efforts.
The Russian news agency Sputnik quoted a Turkish presidential representative as saying: "Without a doubt, any negotiation process, in which the parties sit at the negotiating table, is a positive moment. Therefore, there is hope that the negotiation process in Istanbul will lead to a sustainable ceasefire."
He added, "Turkey, represented by President Tayyip Erdoğan, will make every effort to achieve this."
The second round of negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations concluded on Monday at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, with a Turkish delegation in attendance. The Russian side was led by Vladimir Medinsky, aide to the Russian president.
Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation to the negotiations and aide to the Russian president, said in a press statement following the meeting that the Russian side's memorandum on the settlement in Ukraine was detailed and well-prepared.
He continued, "We presented our memorandum to the Turkish side, which consists of two parts. The first addresses how to achieve a genuine, long-term peace, and the second addresses the steps necessary to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire, with some discrepancies in the second part."
Earlier on Monday, the Russian delegation arrived at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul. Representatives of the Turkish Ministry of Defense and the Ukrainian delegation also arrived at the palace, where the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine were held, according to Sputnik.
The Russian delegation that arrived in Istanbul included the head of the delegation, Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky; Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin; Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov; and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov previously stated that the Russian delegation was ready to submit a memorandum of understanding to the Ukrainian side regarding the settlement during the second round of talks in Istanbul on June 2.
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