Zakharova: Despite EU Officials, Istanbul Talks To Remain Bilateral

During her press conference on May 30, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on remarks by U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg about possible participation in the June 2 Istanbul talks by representatives of the U.S., U.K., Germany, and France: “As for what Special Envoy Keith Kellogg said, being a democratic country which adheres to the rule of law, Russia respects the universal principle of the freedom of movement as a fundamental human right. Anyone is free to travel where he or she desires. That said, we cannot see in what way the movements by officials from the four countries you have mentioned in your question relate to the bilateral talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.”