The key facts

  • The talks in Abu Dhabi began on November 10.
  • The Russian delegation includes Medinsky, Ryabkov, Galuzin, Kostyukov and Zhigalovsky.
  • Minchenko assessed the composition of the delegations as a sign that specific issues are being discussed.

Composition of the delegations

On November 10, talks began in Abu Dhabi with the participation of delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the United States. The Russian side is represented by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Ministers Sergei Ryabkov and Mikhail Galuzin, as well as representatives of two directorates of the General Staff, Igor Kostyukov and Yuri Zhigalovsky. The Ukrainian delegation is led by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov; it also includes the head of the presidential office Kyrylo Budanov (listed as a terrorist and extremist), his first deputy Serhii Kyslytsia, the leader of the Servant of the People faction Davyd Arakhamia, deputy head of the Main Intelligence Directorate Vadym Skibitsky, and former chief of the Ukrainian General Staff Andriy Hnatov. The American delegation is headed by the US president's special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Assessment of the format

On the composition of the participants, political scientistYevgeny Minchenko, head of the Minchenko Consulting communications holding, spoke in an interview with the newspaper Vzglyad. In his view, the Russian delegation was assembled for substantive talks: in addition to diplomats, the meeting involves General Staff representatives responsible for operational work and the planning of military operations.

Context

Earlier, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commented with the phrase on the Europeans' trip to Abu Dhabi — no European representatives were named among the participants in the talks.