The long-anticipated meetings between Ukrainian and Russian representatives have commenced in Istanbul, with high hopes attached. The discussions began around 12:30 PM on Friday, slightly later than initially scheduled.

Russian state agency TASS had previously reported the talks would begin at noon.

This marks the first direct negotiations following the unproductive talks in 2022. Vladimir Putin emphasized that these sessions represent a continuation of earlier attempts to reach an agreement.

The Ukrainian delegation is led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, while the Russian side is represented by Vladimir Medinsky, a former culture minister.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Thursday that the goal is to achieve a 30-day unconditional ceasefire agreement, although the lower-level Russian delegation likely lacks the authority to declare peace.

The U.S. delegation, headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, met with Ukrainian representatives prior to the start of negotiations on Friday.

Putin, who initially proposed the talks in response to a Western ultimatum, will not be participating in today's discussions.

Zelensky will also be absent, expressing discontent with the composition of the Russian delegation.

In a conversation with Kyiv Post in Antalya, where NATO diplomats have gathered, two Western officials described the meetings in Istanbul as either a "grand chaos" or a "highly sophisticated diplomatic chess game".

The West had previously called for intensified sanctions against Moscow if an unconditional ceasefire was not agreed upon by Monday, but later stated that Moscow must show progress this week.

The Kremlin indicated that the delegation aims to address the so-called "root causes" of the invasion, which in the past has meant neutralizing Ukraine.