Medinsky to Lead Russian Team at Abu Dhabi Talks

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Vladimir Medinsky, assistant to Russian President Vladimir Putin, will lead the Russian delegation to Abu Dhabi. The team is scheduled to arrive between November 10 and November 11 to join trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine and the United States.

Peskov stated that Medinsky remains the chief negotiator for the Russian side in this process. When asked if Putin would speak with the negotiators before their departure, Peskov said there are no precise plans at this stage. He noted that virtually all members of the delegation regularly report on current issues to Putin and receive instructions accordingly.

The upcoming talks follow President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's announcement in October regarding a planned meeting of technical teams. Zelenskyy had indicated the session was intended for the first half of November, with participation from representatives of Russia and the US. The Ukrainian president later clarified that the specific timing depends on the American side.

Ukrainian officials have previously sought to bring the Abu Dhabi negotiations forward by at least one week. They also expressed a desire to include an EU representative in the discussions. Zelenskyy indicated he was ready to meet Putin and US President Donald Trump in Istanbul to discuss terms for ending the war.

On October 28, Zelenskyy cited indications that Russia is serious about the Abu Dhabi meeting following conversations between European leaders and Putin. The Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported the details of the delegation's leadership and arrival schedule.