U.S. State Department Head Marco Rubio spoke with Russian chief diplomat Sergei Lavrov. They discussed the preparation by the Russian side of specific proposals for the next round of direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, UNN reports citing the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Details
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov informed Rubio about the implementation of the agreements between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump on May 19, as well as the preparation by the Russian side of specific proposals for the next round of direct Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul.
Rubio, in turn, emphasized Trump's focus on the earliest possible end to the Ukrainian conflict and expressed Washington's readiness to facilitate the convergence of the parties' positions, the Russian Foreign Ministry added.
During the conversation, topical issues of the bilateral agenda were also raised.
The parties confirmed their mutual intention to continue a constructive and mutually respectful dialogue between the foreign policy agencies of Russia and the United States - the Russian Foreign Ministry summarized.
Earlier
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine could take place in Istanbul on June 2.
Recall
According to Keith Kellogg, the Ukrainian side has prepared its part of the memorandum on achieving a peace agreement and provided it to the United States. At the same time, the Russian side has not yet submitted its part of the document to the United States.
The next round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia is to take place after both parts of the document have been studied. According to Kellogg, the American side would prefer negotiations in the Vatican, but the Russians refused this proposal. So it may take place in Geneva.