Medinsky said Moscow views the discussions in Istanbul as a continuation of the failed negotiations in 2022. He said the Russian team has full authority to address all issues necessary to end the conflict.

"The delegation is determined to be constructive, to search for possible solutions and common ground. The task of direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side is sooner or later to achieve long-term peace by eliminating the basic root causes of the conflict," said Medinsky.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will meet with the US, Russian and Ukrainian delegations on Friday in an effort to help resolve the conflict.

Fidan will host a US delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Ukrainian delegation headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and a Russian delegation led by Medinsky, who is also a presidential adviser.