Vladimir Medinsky, who heads the Russian delegation to Istanbul, has said that the task of direct contacts with Ukraine is to establish a long-term peace with the elimination of the root causes of the conflict, Kommersant has reported 

According to him, Russia considers the upcoming contacts in Turkey as a continuation of the negotiations interrupted in the spring of 2022. 

“The task of direct negotiations with Ukraine is to reach a long-term peace sooner or later by eliminating the basic root causes of the conflict,” Medinsky said in a press statement.

He said the delegation approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin has “all the necessary competencies and powers.”