Negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine involving delegations from both countries, Turkey and the US are expected to take place today in Constantinople, the day after they were postponed.

A Turkish delegation will be present at the first meeting of envoys of the two states after three years, sources at the Foreign Ministry in Ankara told the German news agency.

There are still plans for trilateral talks between the US, Ukraine and Turkey, in addition to those between Russia, Ukraine and Turkey, according to the same sources.

Whether there will be a trilateral meeting has not been decided so far, always according to dpa sources.

The U.S. delegation is led by Foreign Minister Marco Rubio.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made it known that he will not be present at the talks in protest at his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin‘s decision not to attend.

Russian diplomacy has rejected criticism that it sent a second-rate delegation.

The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, is seen as a person with little political weight in the West and in Kiev. However, he had also taken part in the 2022 negotiations shortly after the outbreak of war, which ultimately proved fruitless.

Zelensky sent a 12-member delegation led by Rustem Umerov, the defence minister. The other members are senior intelligence officials, staff and a presidential adviser.

The goal is to agree on “just and lasting peace,” Kiev assured. The specific instructions given are top secret.

Umerov was also present at the 2022 talks. The Crimean Tatar had not yet become a minister then, he was just a deputy.

Mr Rubio said yesterday that he did not have “high expectations”.