Ukrainian-Russian delegations to hold talks in Istanbul on Monday

By Tugba Altun and Serdar Dincel

ANKARA/ISTANBUL (AA) - Talks between the delegations of Ukraine and Russia are expected to be held in Istanbul's Ciragan Palace at 1 pm (1000 GMT) on Monday, Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier Sunday that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will be leading his country’s delegation in the planned second round of direct negotiations with Russia in Istanbul on Monday.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that they had offered Ukraine to hold a new round of talks in Istanbul on June 2 and that Vladimir Medinsky, presidential aide to Vladimir Putin, would head the delegation.