Russia has announced that it is willing to resume peace negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, while Kiev rejects the Kremlin's accusations regarding the blockage of discussions.

Russia has declared that it is ready to resume peace negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, according to a Russian Foreign Ministry official quoted by the TASS agency. Direct discussions have not taken place since July 23, and the Russian official mentioned that the Russian team is waiting for a response from Ukraine. At the same time, Ukraine rejects the Kremlin's accusations that it is responsible for the deadlock in negotiations, in the context of the war approaching its fourth year.

Additionally, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov invited the U.S. to resume preparations for a summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, which was canceled due to the Kremlin's refusal to cease fire in Ukraine. Lavrov accused the British press of spreading false information about the Kremlin's demands, which led to the cancellation of the summit. Following unsuccessful meetings with American officials, Lavrov missed an important meeting of the Russian Security Council, and his status as the leader of the Russian delegation at the G20 was also affected.