The Kremlin has announced the composition of the Russian delegation that will attend the new round of US-mediated trilateral Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi next week.
In remarks to the Interfax news agency, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Saturday that officials who participated in an operational meeting hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin with members of the country's Security Council a day earlier would be taking part in the negotiations on behalf of Moscow.
According to the report, the delegation includes presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who was confirmed as the head of Moscow’s delegation earlier this week; Russian deputy foreign ministers Sergey Ryabkov and Mikhail Galuzin; Igor Kostyukov, head of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU; and Yury Zhigarlovsky, deputy head of the Russian General Staff’s Main Operational Directorate.
Peskov added that Yury Ushakov would be “overseeing the upcoming negotiations” in his capacity as Russian presidential aide for foreign policy.
On Friday, Putin hosted a Security Council meeting in Moscow that was attended by members of the delegation and addressed the topics of the upcoming Abu Dhabi talks, as well as ensuring and enhancing Russia’s food security.
During the meeting, Putin was quoted in a Kremlin statement thanking the UAE's leadership for supporting their efforts to find a settlement to the Russia-Ukraine war and for its help in addressing humanitarian issues.
The Emirati capital is due to host the latest trilateral peace talks mediated by the US beginning Tuesday.
Moscow and Kiev last held Washington-mediated peace talks earlier this year, with three rounds taking place on January 23-24, February 4-5, and February 17-18.
The first two were held in Abu Dhabi, while the third took place in Geneva.
Also on Friday, David Arakhamia, parliamentary leader of Ukraine's ruling Servant of the People faction, told The Kyiv Independent online newspaper that Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, will lead the country's negotiation team during the talks in Abu Dhabi.
Arakhamia added that the delegation, in addition to himself and Umerov, would also include the head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, Kyrylo Budanov; the first deputy head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, Serhii Kyslytsia; and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's communications adviser, Dmytro Lytvyn.
