Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has, according to the latest reports, made significant changes to the delegation set to travel to Istanbul for negotiations with the Russian Federation
Considering previous experiences and the results of the initial rounds, the head of state decided to substantially refresh the core of the Ukrainian delegation, increasing its size to 14 persons from 12 in the first round of negotiations. This decision serves as a signal of Ukraine’s serious intentions and its desire to present the country’s position on the international stage as effectively as possible. Sources within high-ranking circles, including an official decree by the President published on the official website of the head of state, confirm this information. The delegation is still led by Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov. However, it now includes new high-ranking specialists and officials from various structures who, according to experts, can add strategic weight and profile depth to the negotiation process. The delegation now comprises: - Oleksandr Bevz – Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President; - Oleksandr D'yakov – Deputy Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Navy; - Serhiy Kyslytsia – First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; - Yury Kovbasa – Representative of the Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights within the system of security and defense, with consent; - Georgiy Kuzmychov – Protocol Officer of the Protocol Department of the Main Support Service of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces; - Oleg Logvynskyi – First Deputy Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service; - Yevhen Ostryanskyi – Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; - Oleksandr Poklad – Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine; - Vadym Skibitskyi – Deputy Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense; - Andriy Fomin – Head of the International Law Department and Deputy Head of the International and Operational Law Department of the Central Legal Department of the General Staff; - Oleksii Shevchenko – Deputy Chief of the General Staff; - Oleksandr Sherikhov – Senior Officer of the Main Operational Department of the General Staff; - Yevhen Shynkar'ov – Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It is also worth noting that on May 16, Aleksiy Malovatskyi, former Deputy Head of the Security Service, participated in the negotiations. However, he is no longer listed among the delegation members. Meanwhile, three new participants have been added to the delegation, who were not previously involved in the Turkey-format negotiations: Andriy Fomin, Yury Kovbasa, and Yevhen Ostryanskyi. Regarding preparations for the upcoming negotiations, Zelensky publicly announced on Sunday his intention to send a delegation to Istanbul led by Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov. He emphasized that this is an important step in the peace process. At the same time, Russian media actively circulated information about the departure of a Russian delegation to Turkey and a scheduled meeting at the Çırağan Palace in Istanbul, where the talks are expected to take place at 13:00. The background of intense diplomatic confrontation indicates that on May 28, Ukraine succeeded in transmitting its document reflecting Ukraine’s position and expectations in the form of a memorandum to Russia. The Russian Kremlin, in turn, responded cautiously to this information. Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Vladimir Putin, refused to comment on the conditions Russia might impose regarding the potential end of the war, noting that such issues should be addressed behind closed doors. On the same day, he confirmed that a Russian delegation had already left for Istanbul to conduct negotiations and would present its memorandum. Ukrainian diplomatic sources emphasize that Russia’s inability to publicly present clear conditions and disclose its demands indicates the unrealistic nature of its expectations and intentions to prolong the peace process. At the same time, Ukraine does not exclude that this round of negotiations could become a new crucial step toward achieving peace, especially given the criticism expressed by the head of state regarding previous delegations’ low level of representation. Overall, in preparation for the next meeting scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul, it is vital for Ukraine to maintain unity and efficiency in diplomatic efforts, as the situation remains complex and unstable. Therefore, the composition of the delegation, its representation, and a clear position at the negotiations are today key factors determining the potential for reaching peace in this conflict.