The key facts
- The Ukrainian delegation will be led by Rustem Umerov, despite initial reports about Budanov
- The military track is coordinated by Andriy Hnatov and Vadym Skibitsky
- A new round of Russia-Ukraine-US talks is scheduled for November 10 in Abu Dhabi
Composition of the Ukrainian delegation
The Ukrainian delegation at the upcoming talks with Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi will be led by Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing an informed source, who said the negotiating group will also include Kirill Budanov*, head of Volodymyr Zelensky's office, David Arakhamia, leader of the Servant of the People faction, and Serhiy Kyslytsia, first deputy head of the presidential office. This is reported by Life.ru.
The military track and the leadership confusion
The military component of the talks will be coordinated by Andriy Hnatov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense. Earlier, confusion arose over who would lead the delegation: initial reports said Budanov would head the group, but Zelensky's communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn clarified that Umerov would continue to fill this role. The new round of trilateral talks is scheduled for November 10 in the capital of the UAE.
The Russian delegation
The Kremlin previously named the composition of the Russian delegation for the talks in Abu Dhabi: besides Vladimir Medinsky, it includes Deputy Foreign Ministers Mikhail Galuzin and Sergei Ryabkov, Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff, and Yuri Zhigarlovsky, a representative of the General Staff. Coordination of the diplomatic process will be handled by Yuri Ushakov, aide to the President of Russia, who is not part of the delegation. Thus, both diplomats and representatives of military intelligence and the General Staff are taking part in the talks on both sides, reflecting a combination of the political and military tracks at the venue in Abu Dhabi.
