Next round of Russia-Ukraine talks will be 'difficult': Kremlin

MOSCOW -- The third round of Russia-Ukraine talks will be "difficult" due to the "diametrically opposed" draft memoranda on the settlement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday.

Peskov confirmed that the Russian delegation, led by Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, has departed for Istanbul, Turkiye, for the negotiations scheduled for Wednesday evening.

He added that the two countries will mainly discuss the draft memoranda exchanged during the second round of talks and the continued exchange of prisoners of war.

Russia and Ukraine held two rounds of direct talks on May 16 and June 2 in Istanbul. During the second round, they agreed on an "all-for-all" exchange of seriously ill and wounded prisoners, soldiers under the age of 25, as well as the transfer of the bodies of fallen soldiers.