Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova told Sputnik radio station on Wednesday that Kiev affirmed that a meeting between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov will take place, on Thursday, on the sidelines of a diplomatic forum in Turkey's Antalya.

Moscow expects the meeting to take place, she added.

Furthermore, Zakharova went on to say that "we believe that since Ukraine has confirmed it, the meeting will indeed take place, particularly because it was initiated by Turkey, the host of the event on the sidelines of which the meeting is expected to be held.”

Russia, according to Zakharova, is preparing for the talks, but there is no need to rush things. She also stated that Lavrov's flight to Antalya was set for Wednesday.

On March 10, Lavrov and Kuleba are expected to meet on the sidelines of a diplomatic forum in Antalya, where Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will also be present.

Russia's president had announced a special military operation in Ukraine, on February 24, to protect the people of the DPR and LPR, who asked for Moscow's aid against attacks by Ukraine's forces.

Russian officials have repeatedly said that they do not seek to occupy the country and that the operation's aim is to de-nazify and demilitarize Ukraine by specifically targeting military infrastructure.