Russia and Ukraine have made “substantial progress” in peace talks, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said, following the latest meeting between delegations in Istanbul.

As he said, Russia saw the talks “as positive movement forward” though they were “not yet the final result”.

Ukrainian officials, however, played down the characterisation of the talks and said Lavrov “demonstrates misunderstanding of the negotiation process”.

Lavrov said the Ukrainian negotiators “confirmed the necessity to ensure Ukraine’s non-nuclear, [neutral] status and its security outside of NATO” and “understand that the issues of Crimea and Donbas have been settled for good”.