Gives ultimatums: Kiev complains that Russia wants to turn Istanbul into Minsk

The format of the Istanbul talks with Russia has almost exhausted itself. This was stated in an interview with The Kyiv Independent by the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Serhiy Kyslytsa.

Russia puts forward ultimatums at the meeting, he complained.

"No, the Russians came with a mandate to dictate an ultimatum. They didn't even have a mandate to listen to our arguments and look for a common language. They resolutely rejected the possibility of an unconditional ceasefire before the leaders' meeting," said Kislitsa, quoted by the Strana newspaper.

Russia is now aiming to bureaucratize the process and turn Istanbul into a second Minsk, he claims. In the view of Kislitsa, delegations will meet and only waste time without a real result.