Istanbul Talks' Conclusion

Russian media on July 23rd was overwhelmingly dominated by the evolving Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul. The day began with reports of continued Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory, notably Rostov, alongside early mentions of preparations for the Istanbul talks. As the morning progressed, the departure of the Russian delegation for Istanbul became the central narrative across numerous outlets. By early afternoon, their arrival was confirmed, signifying the direct commencement of the third round of dialogue. Later in the afternoon, headlines detailed the start of the high-level tete-a-tete meeting between delegation heads. The evening saw the conclusion of these talks, with reports highlighting a brevity of duration, initial agreements on civilian exchange, and Ukraine's proposal for a Putin-Zelensky meeting by late August, despite Moscow's top negotiator later stating positions remained distant. Concurrently, ongoing coverage focused on internal Ukrainian developments regarding President Zelensky's anti-corruption agency clampdown and related protests.