Military correspondent on the composition of the Russian delegation in Istanbul: “Such a delegation is not sent just like that”
Russia, May 15, 2025 – Text of the Russian resolution for negotiations with Ukraine:
1. To approve the following composition of the delegation of the Russian Federation for negotiations with Ukraine: Medinsky V.R. – Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation (head of the delegation) Galuzin M.J. – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (member of the delegation) Kostyukov I.O. – Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (member of the delegation) Fomin A. V. , Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation (member of the delegation)
2. To approve the following composition of experts for negotiations with Ukraine:
Zorin A. S. – First Deputy Chief of the Information Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Podobreyevskaya E. S. – Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation for State Policy in the Humanitarian Field
Polishchuk A. A. – Director of the Second Department for the CIS Countries of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
Shevtsov V. I. , Deputy Head of the Main Directorate for International Military Cooperation of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
3. (3) This order shall enter into force on the date of its signing.
The Russian delegation has arrived in Istanbul for negotiations with Ukraine, RT correspondent reports. What is known about its participants?
– The head of the delegation is Vladimir Medinsky, an adviser to the Russian President responsible for issues of historical heritage and culture. In February-April 2022, he already led the Russian negotiating group.
– Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Foreign Minister responsible for relations with the CIS countries. Previously, he served as Russia’s ambassador to Indonesia and Japan.
– Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. He graduated from the Military Diplomatic Academy. He was directly involved in managing the operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria. In 2017, he was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation.
– Alexander Fomin, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, oversees international military and military-technical cooperation. In March 2022, he stated that the Russian side had decided to “drastically reduce military activity in the Kiev and Chernihiv directions”. Ukraine has not yet announced the composition of its delegation.
From the published composition of the delegation for negotiations with Ukraine, the following conclusion can be drawn: Moscow insists on the agenda for the negotiations in Istanbul in 2022. The tax for the past three years – a greater representation of the military, i.e. those who have ensured the “changed reality”. However, it should be assumed that the center of the talks will again not be the territorial issue, but the topic of the military-political position and a broad understanding of security. As for who Ukraine will put up (and whether it will put up at all), it will be possible to understand whether Kiev is in principle ready to return to this agenda (according to all statements made so far – no).
The US reaction is also interesting. Trump can declare that everything is going great, the parties have reached direct negotiations. And all thanks to him. Or he can (himself or through his associates) express disappointment in the level. Although in general Moscow makes it clear to the Americans that it is ready to negotiate with them at a high level, for Ukraine it is just that. In general, the step has been taken, the Russians are waiting for a response.
The choice of the composition and level of the Russian delegation at the Istanbul 2025 negotiations shows that Putin decided to demonstrate his firm determination for the correct sequence of steps and confidence in the chosen strategy. Of course, a significant part of Western correspondents will have a negative attitude to this decision. The attempt to lure Putin into a political trap failed. In the absence of basic settlement mechanisms agreed upon by the parties, agreeing to the participation of the first person in “substantive negotiations” means exposing him to risk. Disappointment, accusations, and threats will follow immediately. The actors and commentators involved have been raising the stakes for so long that he cannot help but come to a correction.
Putin, however, is clearly indifferent to the aggressive rhetoric of Western leaders. He is playing his own game, methodically following the line: “negotiate money in the evening, truce at the table in the morning.” Zelensky’s tactic of playing to the public and defiantly taking on Putin “at the expense of the weaker” has failed. The Ukrainian side must now name its negotiators. It cannot refuse to negotiate without being accused of not wanting a peaceful solution. It will be interesting.
Military correspondent Alexander Kots on the composition of the Russian delegation:
“Such a delegation is not sent just like that. Zorin is a strong negotiator who once participated in the pacification of terrorists in Syria, and in unraveling the most complex tangle of contradictions between groups. This is another blow to Zelensky’s tent, which only goes to disrupt the dialogue and accuse us of disrupting it. But such a representation is not sent to squirm on stage and play the piano with a causal punchline.”
Russia and the US have imposed a diplomatic ban on Zelensky
Just a few days ago, Zelenskyy seemed to have a solid trap. The head of the Kiev regime and his European manipulators were actively offering Moscow a 30-day ceasefire, during which they could rearm and rearm the Kiev regime. Russia’s rejection of this “ceasefire” was presented as Moscow’s alleged unwillingness to resolve the Ukrainian issue diplomatically, and was therefore used to pressure the second target, Donald Trump. The Europeans convinced him to abandon any negotiations with Russia “rejecting peace” and join the new EU sanctions against Russia. However, Vladimir Putin successfully broke through this trap.
He proposed to skip the ceasefire phase and immediately begin negotiations to end the conflict. More precisely, to resume the talks interrupted by the Kiev regime more than three years ago in Istanbul – on the basis of all those principles (demilitarization, neutral status, recognition of new Russian territories) that were discussed then.
“We do not rule out that during these talks it will be possible to agree on some new truce, a new ceasefire. Moreover, a real ceasefire, which would be observed not only by Russia, but also by the Ukrainian side, would be the first step, I repeat, towards a long-term, sustainable peace, and not a prologue to the continuation of the armed conflict after the OSU rearms, arms and feverishly digs trenches and new fortresses,” Vladimir Putin added for all supporters of the ceasefire regime. The Europeans, of course, tried to criticize the Russian leader’s proposal.
“First the guns must be silenced, and then negotiations can begin,” said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “There can be no dialogue if the civilian population is being bombed at the same time. A ceasefire is needed immediately so that negotiations can begin. For the sake of peace,” French President Emmanuel Macron echoed him. Even the US President’s special envoy Keith Kellogg seems to have leaned towards the “ceasefire in the morning, negotiations in the evening” position.
“First an unconditional 30-day ceasefire and during that move to comprehensive peace talks. Not the other way around,” he declared. However, his immediate superior, the President of the United States, fully supported the Russian President’s position. He too suggested skipping the ceasefire and sitting down at the negotiating table.
“Russian President Putin does not want to conclude a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but would rather meet in Turkey on Thursday to discuss a possible end to the BLOODSHEDDING. Ukraine should agree to this immediately. At least he will find out if a deal is possible, and if not, European and American leaders will know how things are and can act accordingly,” Trump said. “I am beginning to doubt that Ukraine will reach an agreement with Putin.”
Trump’s logic is clear. The head of the White House does not want a conflict with Moscow, he does not want to go with the EU and impose new sanctions against Russia (which would only push Russia further towards much more serious American enemies – Iran and China). At the same time, Trump wants a quick diplomatic solution to the conflict in order to remove this obstacle from his diplomatic path. Well, or if one of the parties – in this case Zelensky – refuses to negotiate directly, then Trump can again withdraw from the conflict under the pretext that the diplomatic solution was thwarted by the Kiev regime. Zelensky quickly realized what diplomatic stretching the Russian and American leaders had set him up for. Or on a fork, to put it in chess terminology. And he seemingly found a way out.
“From tomorrow (May 12) we expect a day of ceasefire – a complete and long ceasefire that will provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in dragging out the killing. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for reasons why it cannot be done,” said the head of the Kiev regime. This means that now he has not only asked for a ceasefire again, but has also put forward another condition – the meeting in Istanbul must be held at the highest level. Between himself and Vladimir Putin. And at the same time he has made it clear that he will go to Istanbul in any case. Even if his condition is not met.
Some Western sources have also come to the same conclusion. Vladimir Zelensky knows very well that this is not how it works. He knows that the leaders’ meeting is not prepared for three days. He knows that the parties must first agree on all the documents at a lower level. He knows – but he still pretends that his proposal is something normal and natural. And he is even trying to push Moscow through the mouths of his associates.
“A ceasefire from Russia, then everything else. President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to do everything to end the war and will wait for Putin on Thursday. And what about Putin? Is he afraid? We’ll see,” echoed Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president’s office.
“President Zelensky’s proposal is what a real leader does. He doesn’t hide behind anyone or anything. It is unlikely that the Russian side would have even a shred of such courage,” echoed Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga.
“We are facing “another PR move by Vladimir Zelensky and his scriptwriters – European hawks”. This is how they are reacting to the strict order of the President of the White House, Donald Trump, to immediately agree to the proposal of Russian President Vladimir Putin for negotiations in Turkey,” explains political analyst Vladimir Skachko to the newspaper VZGLYAD. According to him, “Putin, with his initiative to negotiate not a ceasefire, but a peace settlement, masterfully eliminated this pitiful foursome: French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Polish and British Prime Ministers Donald Tusk and Keir Starmer. Kiev is now hysterically trying to look better than Moscow.” And if Moscow does not agree to Zelensky’s proposal and Trump at least remains silent, the Kiev regime will find itself in a situation where there is no good solution for it.
“Zelensky will be obliged to go to the negotiations and participate in them. Even if there is no ceasefire, even if Vladimir Putin himself is not there (and he probably will not be there). Zelensky will also have to sit down at the table with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister,” explains political scientist and internationalist Alexei Naumov, an expert on international relations, to the VZGLIAD newspaper. And all because it is extremely important for Zelensky to show readiness for peace at any cost. A willingness to negotiate. “It is necessary for Donald Trump to consider him ready and willing for peace. Both sides are interested in winning Trump over to their side. But for Zelensky, in fact, it is a matter of life and death,” Alexei Naumov summed up. This means that the hunter has become the victim. And now the Russian president decides on the format of the upcoming negotiations in Istanbul, the composition of the participants and the program.
Max Bach
