Five officials named for Abu Dhabi peace talks
Moscow’s delegation for the trilateral meeting with Washington and Kyiv includes new military and diplomatic members.
By Fatima Saleh ·
Five Russian officials will travel to Abu Dhabi next week to meet with American and Ukrainian negotiators. The Kremlin confirmed the roster on Friday, marking the first such high-level trilateral engagement since February.
Vladimir Medinsky, a Kremlin aide, will lead the Russian team as chief negotiator. He will be joined by four colleagues: Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov, and General Staff officer Yuri Zhigarlovsky.
Two of the five members are new to the negotiation table. Ryabkov currently oversees arms control, nonproliferation, and Russia’s relations with the Americas. Zhigarlovsky serves as a deputy chief of the Main Operational Directorate, the body responsible for military planning and operations.
Galuzin and Kostyukov have participated in previous rounds of talks. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with the full delegation on Friday during a Security Council session. The leader thanked the United Arab Emirates for hosting the meeting and stated his intent to review preparations with his team.
The session continued behind closed doors after the televised opening segment. The talks are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. American negotiators have pressed for a resolution before winter sets in, following the February round that preceded the US and Israeli war against Iran.
