Türkiye says format of Russia-Ukraine talks still undecided

The format of the upcoming negotiations on the Ukraine conflict, scheduled to take place in Istanbul on May 15, has yet to be finalised, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Fidan said discussions on the structure of the talks are still ongoing, and a final decision has not been reached, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

Despite the uncertainty, Türkiye expects delegations from both Russia and the United States to attend the consultations, he noted.

Fidan expressed hope for a positive outcome from the forthcoming talks and reiterated Ankara’s longstanding position in favour of a swift resolution to the conflict.

To recall, the upcoming meeting in Antalya is set to centre on key strategic matters, notably the ongoing war in Ukraine and NATO’s collective defence strategies. Although Ukraine’s prospective membership may come up in informal talks, it is not expected to dominate the agenda.

The gathering will also provide an opportunity to conclude talks on raising NATO’s defence spending benchmark, with a proposed goal of reaching 3.5 per cent of GDP by 2032.

Discussions are likely to reaffirm NATO’s dedication to collective defence and tackle evolving security threats.

By Aghakazim Guliyev