Spokesperson: Russian delegation comprised of seasoned professionals Foreign Ministry rejects Western criticism

Russia has dispatched a team of seasoned professionals to Istanbul, prepared to engage on a wide range of topics, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in response to Western criticism of the delegation’s composition.

A senior Russian official dismissed Western rhetoric as hysteria on Telegram, stressing that the Russian team consists of qualified professionals from the Foreign Ministry, Defence Ministry, General Staff, and international law experts, not inexperienced actors or impostors, as claimed, Caliber.Az reports.

“Unlike some, our delegation consists of top-level specialists who possess an in-depth understanding of the situation,” the official said.

“This is not a troupe of undertrained amateurs or diplomatic charlatans.” In a pointed remark regarding the recent outbursts from NATO and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the official suggested they might have been expecting psychiatrists rather than negotiators.

Addressing the collective Brussels leadership, the statement urged: “Pull yourselves together and bring your protégés to the negotiating table you have so vigorously debated over the past weeks. Do not add to your many titles the shameful label of cowardly hysterics.”

Earlier, German Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, criticised the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin not to attend the Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul. According to the German minister, Russia should send a delegation "commensurate with the seriousness of the current situation."

"The only empty chair is the Russian one," he emphasised.

Earlier, the Kremlin officially announced that Putin would not be present at the talks in Türkiye. The Russian delegation will be led by his aide, Vladimir Medinsky. Neither the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov nor the Defence Minister Andrey Belousov are part of the delegation.

From Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov have arrived in Türkiye

By Aghakazim Guliyev