The Ukrainian side is ready for an unconditional ceasefire and direct negotiations at the highest level. Today, the Ukrainian delegation arrived in Istanbul to find real ways to a sustainable and just peace.
This was stated by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, reports UNN.
In Istanbul, together with the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andriy Sybiha, they met with the Special Representative of the President of the United States of America, Keith Kellogg, the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Jonathan Powell, the Foreign Policy and Security Advisor to the German Chancellor, Günther Zautter, and the Diplomatic Advisor to the President of France, Emmanuel Bonn.
He noted that they coordinated positions with their colleagues on the eve of today's meeting with the Russian delegation in Istanbul.
The Ukrainian side reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful efforts, emphasizing the constructive steps taken in recent weeks and months. We are ready for a complete and unconditional ceasefire, as we noted earlier during meetings in Jeddah and Riyadh with our American partners. Ukraine is ready for direct negotiations at the highest level. Today we arrived in Istanbul to find real ways to a sustainable and just peace.
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine told under what conditions peace is possible.
Peace is possible only if Russia shows readiness for concrete actions, including a complete ceasefire for at least 30 days and the implementation of humanitarian steps, such as the return of forcibly deported Ukrainian children and the exchange of prisoners of war according to the "all for all" formula.
Umerov expressed gratitude to partners — the USA, France, Great Britain and Germany — for their support in promoting the peace process.
We are also grateful to Turkey for its assistance in organizing today's meeting and for creating a platform for negotiations, as well as for its active participation in achieving a just peace for Ukraine. We continue our struggle for a just and lasting peace and do not stop efforts to achieve it.
The Ukrainian delegation will seek discussion of the meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin at the negotiations - the media
Addition
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasized that the Ukrainian delegation will insist on a complete and unconditional ceasefire at the negotiations with Russia.