On May 14, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an order approving the composition of the Russian delegation for negotiations with Ukraine, which are to take place in Istanbul. This was reported by the Kremlin press service. The Russian delegation will be headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who previously held the post of Minister of Culture and participated in negotiations with Ukraine in 2022. The delegation also includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Igor Kostyukov and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.

The talks in Istanbul, scheduled for May 15, 2025, will be the first official high-level contact between Russia and Ukraine since the collapse of previous consultations in 2022. The initiator of the resumption of dialogue was Turkey, which traditionally positions itself as a mediator in the conflict settlement. According to Turkish media, Ankara offered Istanbul as a neutral platform for discussing the ceasefire and prisoner exchange. The Ukrainian delegation is expected to be led by the head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, but the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is unlikely. Sources in Kyiv indicate that Zelensky considers negotiations with the Russian side at the delegation level "unequal" and insists on direct dialogue with the leaders of states that guarantee Ukraine's security.

The resumption of the negotiation process takes place against the backdrop of ongoing hostilities and a difficult international situation.