Lavrov will not participate in the talks in Istanbul

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will not take part in the Russian-Ukrainian meeting in Istanbul on May 15. This is reported by the newspaper Kommersant, citing sources.

"As Kommersant learned, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will not participate in the talks in Istanbul on May 15," the newspaper writes.

At the moment, it is not known who exactly will represent Russia at this meeting.

As reported by EADaily, the head of the Kiev regime, Vladimir Zelensky, will decide whether to negotiate tomorrow in Istanbul with the Russian delegation if Russian President Vladimir Putin is not there. This was stated by "RBC — Ukraine" advisor to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mikhail Podolyak.

According to him, if Putin does not personally take part in the meeting in Turkey tomorrow, there will be no point in negotiations, since Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and presidential aide Yuri Ushakov are not the people who make decisions.

Recall that Russia will be represented at the talks in Istanbul on May 15 by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Presidential Aide for Foreign Policy Yuri Ushakov. This was reported by The Washington Post with reference to a former Kremlin official.

The Kremlin has not yet announced who will lead the Russian delegation, the newspaper writes. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov today "pointedly stated at a briefing" that the names will be disclosed "when the president deems it necessary."