Russia Sends FSB Chief to Face Budanov at Peace Talks After His Unit Was Linked to Plot to Kill Him
Dmitry Minayev, who heads an FSB department linked by Ukrainian officials to a 2019 attempt to kill Kyrylo Budanov, has joined Russia’s delegation for talks with Ukraine and the US in Abu Dhabi.
Tensions persist as Russia sends a larger delegation to the ongoing peace talks in Abu Dhabi, with four of the five negotiators insisting on the Kremlin's original war aims. The talks, held on November 10-11, were attended by representatives from Ukraine, the US, and Russia, as well as security advisers from the EU, Germany, France, and Britain, along with NATO's chief of staff.
The Russian contingent includes Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, GRU Head Admiral Igor Kostyukov, Presidential Aide Yuriy Ushakov, and Deputy Foreign Ministers Mikhail Galuzin and Sergei Ryabkov.
Russia's delegation suggests a willingness to engage in substantive talks after months of diplomatic stalemate. Ryabkov, in particular, has expertise in arms control and has been involved in negotiations since Istanbul in 2022. Medinsky has been at the negotiating table since 2022, while Kostyukov led the first two rounds of talks in early 2026.
However, ISW argues that these statements should not be taken as optimistic indicators, as Medinsky has used his position to stall negotiations by focusing on historical grievances. Ushakov has reiterated the Kremlin's insistence on unilateral concessions from Ukraine before any meaningful peace talks can take place. Galuzin has emphasized the need to address the "root causes" of the war, while Ryabkov claims that Russia can only accept peace proposals that align with Putin's goals and "ground realities."
Ryabkov has also been linked to the Kremlin's 2021 ultimatums to the US and NATO, which demanded the dismantling of the alliance under the guise of security guarantees for Russia.
While Russia claims to have started the war, it regards peace negotiations as a tool to influence external actors, rather than a genuine desire for resolution. The battlefield remains largely unchanged since the outbreak of the full-scale war, with Russia engaging in hybrid warfare across multiple domains. Ukraine continues to defend itself, and Europe faces significant challenges in deterring Russia and securing meaningful security guarantees.
The strategic messaging of Russia has remained steadfast, and the likelihood of a positive outcome from the trilateral talks is extremely low.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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