Russia-Ukraine to hold Face-to-Face talks in Turkey this week

Chief Negotiator of Russia, Vladimir Medinsky informed that Russia and Ukraine will hold the next round of peace talks in the capital of Turkey, Istanbul from March 29th onwards. These talks will be held face to face rather than having a virtual meeting. Chief Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia also confirmed that the peace talks will be held on March 28-30. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey, had a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday and agreed for Istanbul to host the talks between Russia and Ukraine. In a statement, he said: “The two leaders agreed that the next meeting of the negotiation teams of Russia and Ukraine will be held in Istanbul". On Sunday, before the announcement of the Peace talks, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the West of cowardice and not having enough courage to face Russia. He said: "If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1% of their courage.” He further added, "Ukraine is willing to become neutral and compromise over the status of the eastern Donbas region as part of a peace deal."