Kyiv picks former defence chief for Istanbul talks with Russia

Former Ukrainian Defence Minister and current Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, Rustem Umerov, will head Ukraine’s delegation at upcoming talks with Russia in Istanbul.

The announcement was made by Oleksii Goncharenko, a member of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada via his Telegram channel, Caliber.Az reports.

“Rustem Umerov will lead the Ukrainian delegation at the talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul,” Goncharenko wrote.

“He previously headed the delegation while serving as Defence Minister. Current Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal will not be attending the talks in Istanbul.”

Ukraine and Russia are preparing for a third round of negotiations in Istanbul, expected to take place on July 23–24, following earlier meetings held on May 16 and June 2. 

While the previous talks led to major prisoner exchanges, they failed to achieve progress towards a ceasefire or broader peace agreement.

The upcoming talks are set to focus on prisoner swaps, humanitarian corridors, protection of critical infrastructure, and the situation along the front line.

Ukraine is reportedly pushing for faster progress and has proposed elevating discussions to the leadership level.

Russia, however, remains firm on its strategic demands, which include territorial concessions, Ukraine’s neutrality, and withdrawal from regions it has annexed.

Türkiye, acting as a mediator since 2022, will host the talks behind closed doors.

By Aghakazim Guliyev