Russia and Ukraine are preparing for the third round of peace negotiations, set to be held on the evening of Wednesday, July 23, at the Çırağan Palace in Istanbul, Turkey's largest city. The session is expected to last no more than a single day.
Both sides have decided not to change the size of their delegations. Ukraine will be represented by 14 delegates, while Russia will send 8. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a formal decree confirming the lineup.
The Ukrainian team will again be led by Rustem Umerov, a former Defense Minister who now serves as Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. It also includes members from the intelligence community, the ombudsman’s office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the President’s Office, and the Armed Forces.
Earlier media reports suggesting an expanded Ukrainian delegation were later denied by officials.
“I have observed over many years how extraordinarily courteous the Russians are,” said Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsya, a member of Ukraine’s delegation in Istanbul. “They are also competent and skilled at conducting talks.”
The Russian delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, a presidential aide. He will be joined by Deputy Defense Minister Colonel-General Alexander Fomin, Chief of the General Staff’s Main Directorate Admiral Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, along with four expert advisers.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on July 21 that there will be no changes to the Russian team’s composition. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte had earlier criticized Russia’s choice to send a historian to the negotiations, calling it unserious.
In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova dismissed his remarks as “gibberish.” Peskov defended Medinsky’s position, noting: “As a presidential aide, he ranks higher than a federal minister — and higher than the head of Ukraine’s delegation.”
What Will Be Discussed?
President Zelensky has stated that Ukraine aims to address the return of prisoners and deported children, and to explore the possibility of a meeting between the two countries’ leaders.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha emphasized that Kyiv wants to discuss a ceasefire and an end to hostilities. He noted that Russia’s delegation should have the authority to negotiate core issues.
According to informed sources, the delegations may exchange drafts of proposed memorandums outlining their visions for a peaceful settlement, as well as review humanitarian concerns.
First Deputy Chair of the State Duma’s Foreign Affairs Committee Aleksey Chepa said that the agenda will focus mainly on technical and humanitarian matters, such as prisoner exchanges, repatriation of the wounded, and return of the deceased.
“It’s hard to predict the outcome of this round, but I hope exchanges with Ukraine will continue,” Chepa added.
The Kremlin has cautioned against expecting “miraculous breakthroughs” from the talks. According to Peskov, there is no reason to expect major shifts at this stage: “That’s hardly possible under current conditions.”
Nevertheless, he said Moscow does not share skepticism about the usefulness of such meetings. Agreements already reached on military prisoner exchanges with Kyiv, he added, are tangible results.
Meanwhile, Aleksey Podberezkin, Director of the Center for Military-Political Research at MGIMO, argued that these talks are likely to merely delay a further escalation of the conflict. He warned that Western countries continue seeking a strategic defeat for Russia and are using diplomacy as a pause to replenish weapons and coordinate new deliveries to Ukraine.
