Russia expects Ukraine's response to its proposal to raise level of heads of Istanbul talks delegations - Lavrov

MOSCOW. Oct 16 (Interfax) - Moscow expects Kiev to respond to its proposal of modernization of the Istanbul process on the Ukrainian settlement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"We're waiting for a response. Same as following [the] Alaska [summit], we're waiting for a reaction, as well as for a response to our proposals of modernization of the Istanbul process," Lavrov said in an interview with the Kommersant newspaper.

Russia proposed "to significantly increase the level of the heads of the delegations" in Istanbul, he said.

"Firstly, so that they are leading three groups, not only the humanitarian one, which is dealing with important things in any case, but also military and political," he said.

"In other words, we reacted in the spirit of goodwill to criticism of a kind by the Ukrainian negotiators. We offered them in response the actions which should have made some improvements in the negotiating process in light of this criticism," he said.

"Increasing the level of the negotiators" involved in this process was also discussed during the Russian-U.S. summit in Alaska, Lavrov said. "President Trump liked this idea. We have not seen other response to this initiative besides his positive attitude," he said.