Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmitry Kuleba are in the Turkish city of Antalya for talks with their Turkish counterpart, Mevlüt Çavuşoλουlu, who has taken the initiative.
“The meeting has begun,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who also released photos showing the Ukrainian delegation sitting across from the Russian delegation.
This is the first meeting of this level between Russia and Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24.
According to a Turkish diplomat, the aim of the talks is to reach a ceasefire.
Before the start of the tripartite meeting, Tsavousoglu met separately with the Russian and Ukrainian Foreign Ministers, who had arrived in Antalya last Wednesday night and are staying in different hotels.
Initially, the Turkish Foreign Minister met with a smiling Kuleba, whom he greeted and hugged. Lavrov, on the other hand, appeared angry.
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, who has expressed his gratitude to Turkey, is expected to insist on “three key points” during the tripartite meeting, according to his ministry statement: “Immediate ceasefire, improvement of humanitarian situation in Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy, Volnovac and other Ukrainian cities, withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine “.
Prior to his departure, Kuleba had said in a video posted on Facebook that he had “limited” expectations from his meeting with Lavrov because Russia continues to bomb heavily and besiege major cities in Ukraine.
“It is important that the two ministers agreed to meet in Turkey instead of elsewhere,” a Turkish diplomat told AFP. “Turkey hopes, above all, for a ceasefire,” he added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who will have a telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden this afternoon, expressed hope that the meeting at the level of foreign ministers “would pave the way for a permanent ceasefire”.
However, foreign analysts comment that the best that can be said about the meeting is that it happens, as it is positive that the two foreign ministers are at the same table.
The table is rising…
Be at peace and stability.
????????????????????????????????
The table is being laid…
Hoping it will lead to peace and stability.# MEET4DIPLOMACY pic.twitter.com/mJhP4XLkNm
– Antalya Diplomacy Forum (@AntalyaDF) March 10, 2022
#Ukraine The area around the Dçmytro Kuleba is close to all of us.
Had a bilateral with Foreign Minister @DmytroKuleba of #Ukraine, ahead of the tripartite meeting. ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/9H41MaPD7B
– Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (@MevlutCavusoglu) March 10, 2022
#Russia We did not see the whole of the region together with Sergey Lavrov.
Had a bilateral with Foreign Minister Sergey #Lavrov of #Russia, ahead of the tripartite meeting. ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/npcvEbRgCG
– Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (@MevlutCavusoglu) March 10, 2022
However, expectations for a result, the same analysts add, are not very high, as at the same time as the two foreign ministers are talking, the Russian attacks continue.
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