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NATO top diplomats' meeting in Turkey happens to coincide with potential Ukraine talks

The diplomat emphasized that "the alliance can use the presence of its ministers in Turkey during the Russia-Ukraine talks to provide moral support to Kiev or to hold additional consultations with it in the course of the talks with Russia, if they take place"

BRUSSELS, May 12. /TASS/. NATO may try to use the "coincidence" of the dates of the May 14-15 informal meeting of the alliance's foreign ministers in Turkey and potential talks between Russia and Ukraine in that country to provide moral support to Kiev or to hold additional consultations with it, a source told TASS.

"This meeting was scheduled months before the potential Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul announced last week. This is nothing but a coincidence of dates. Moreover, the geography of these meetings does not quite coincide, as the venue of the potential talks between Russia and Ukraine is likely to be Istanbul, while the meeting of NATO foreign ministers will be held in Antalya," he said.

At the same time, the diplomat emphasized that "the alliance can use the presence of its ministers in Turkey during the Russia-Ukraine talks to provide moral support to Kiev or to hold additional consultations with it in the course of the talks with Russia, if they take place", he said, stressing that NATO foreign ministers "will be fully represented in Turkey, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio."

The diplomat declined to comment on the very possibility of holding talks on Ukraine in Istanbul.

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