Umerov, not Budanov, will lead the Ukrainian delegation at the talks in Abu Dhabi

Volodymyr Zelensky's adviser Dmytro Lytvyn clarified that Rustem Umerov will lead the Ukrainian delegation at the Russia–Ukraine–US talks on November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi. Kyrylo Budanov, who had previously been named as the group's leader, will take part in the consultations but will not head it.

Otabek YusupovFirst published on tafs uz 6 November 2026 at 22:482 min read

The key facts

The Russia–Ukraine–US talks are scheduled for November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi, with the United States acting as mediator.
Zelensky's adviser refuted earlier reports: the Ukrainian delegation will be led by Rustem Umerov, not Kyrylo Budanov.
The Russian delegation, according to the Kremlin press secretary, will be led by Vladimir Medinsky.

Clarification on the delegation's composition

Rustem Umerov, not Kyrylo Budanov, will lead the Ukrainian delegation at the upcoming talks with Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi. This clarification was given by Volodymyr Zelensky's adviser Dmytro Lytvyn, as reported by Life.ru. According to him, Budanov will also take part in the consultations, but he will not head the negotiating group; all representatives of the Ukrainian side are preparing for the meeting.

Where the earlier version came from

The clarification came after a number of media outlets, including Life.ru, reported, citing the head of Zelensky's office's interview with the American TV channel CBS News, that it would be Budanov who would lead the delegation. In the same interview, according to Life.ru's publication, he expressed cautious expectations: a quick breakthrough in the settlement should not be expected, but the very resumption of direct dialogue would be a step forward. Thus, the question of who leads the Ukrainian delegation is a correction of the initial version by Kyiv itself, not independent confirmation from two sources.

Format and agenda of the meeting

The talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States are scheduled for November 10–11 in the capital of the United Arab Emirates; Washington will act as a mediator between Moscow and Kyiv. The Russian delegation, as presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov previously said, will be led by the head of state's aide Vladimir Medinsky, and the group is expected to include representatives of several agencies. One of the main topics will be mutual security guarantees; the sides also intend to discuss further steps toward settling the conflict. No concrete agreements have been reached so far.