The Ukrainian side is ready for negotiations in Istanbul, as well as in Geneva and Vienna, in any place where there is disengagement, independence from one of the sides, namely from Russia, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov has said.

"President [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan publicly made such a proposal. I will tell you a secret, consultations were held with us, when I was still a member of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation in the Trilateral Contact Group, we answered in the affirmative: 'Yes, we agree if this platform will be, for example, in Istanbul.' The Ukrainian side is ready for negotiations in Istanbul, as well as in Geneva, and in Vienna, in any place where there is disengagement, independence from one of the parties, namely from Russia. We will be ready, but the other side must agree," Reznikov said at a briefing on Thursday.