Putin approves makeup of Russian delegation for talks with Ukraine in Istanbul

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday approved the composition of the Russian delegation for the upcoming talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, Türkiye, said a Kremlin statement.

The delegation will be led by Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky and includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, chief of the main directorate of the general staff of the Russian army Igor Kostyukov, and Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.

Apart from the delegation members, a list of four experts was also approved for the talks.

In a statement on Sunday, Putin proposed the resumption of direct negotiations with Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul.

He said that Russia is ready to engage in direct negotiations with Ukraine without any preconditions. Russia aims to hold serious talks to address the root causes of the conflict and is committed to establishing a lasting peace that looks to both the past and the future.

Also on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine is ready for negotiations in any form.

According to media reports, Zelensky has departed for Türkiye.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Türkiye on Wednesday to prepare for the upcoming Russia-Ukraine talks.

According to information released by the U.S. side on Tuesday, Rubio, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg will travel to Istanbul for the potential talks.

The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that it views these negotiations as a key opportunity for achieving peace.

Putin approves makeup of Russian delegation for talks with Ukraine in Istanbul

Putin approves makeup of Russian delegation for talks with Ukraine in Istanbul

Putin approves makeup of Russian delegation for talks with Ukraine in Istanbul

Putin approves makeup of Russian delegation for talks with Ukraine in Istanbul

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday that the country is at a critical stage and must achieve national unity, emphasizing that maintaining internal cohesion is of utmost importance.

In a televised address, Rodriguez called on the public to continue trusting the government under the current highly complex political circumstances.

Her statement comes in the wake of a January 3 military operation conducted by the United States, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of the country.

The operation resulted in at least 100 fatalities.

Rodriguez, who was sworn in as acting president two days later on January 5, framed her appeal for unity against this backdrop of external intervention.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Minister of Communication and Information Freddy Nanez denounced the U.S. actions as a "war crime of the 21st century" when speaking at an international cultural event on Sunday.

Nanez condemned not only the January 3 airstrikes but also the associated cyber and electromagnetic attacks.

He accused the United States of violating international law through the forced removal of President Maduro and his wife, while attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, represent a flagrant breach of humanitarian norms.

He reiterated that the stigmatization and military attacks against Venezuela are driven by economic interests, particularly the desire to control its abundant natural resources.

Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation