ISTANBUL, May 16, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - A senior Ukrainian official on Friday accused Russia of blocking the participation of US officials in talks in Istanbul, the first direct diplomatic discussions between Kyiv and Moscow in over three years.
    
"The Russians are trying to get rid of the Americans by any means necessary," the official told AFP, speculating that "perhaps they do not want a third party to see the (negotiations) process being disrupted."