Is Ukraine just part of the deal? What does the composition of the delegations in Abu Dhabi say?
The composition of the delegations in the negotiations between Russia, the United States and Ukraine on November 10-11 seems more interesting than the official agenda. For the first time, Russia included in the negotiating group Sergei Ryabkov, the deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responsible for American direction and arms control. Perhaps the most important detail.
The Russian delegation is once again headed by Vladimir Medinsky. With him are Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Glozin, Head of the General Staff's Chief Executive Igor Kostyukov and Deputy Head of the Chief Operations Directorate of the General Staff Yuri Zhigerlovsky. According to the extended list published by RT, FSB representative Alexei Komkov is also participating, and the group of experts includes counterintelligence officer Dmitry Miniev and arms control diplomat Oleg Postnikov. Alexander Zorin, Elena Podobryevskaya and Alexei Polishchuk are also named there.
For comparison: in Istanbul in 2025, Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin worked with Medinsky, Glauzin and Kostyukov. In January-February 2026, in Abu Dhabi, the Russian side was led by Kostyukov: the emphasis was on military issues. In February, Geneva returned from Dinsky - and the political part expanded. Now, to the military and diplomats, a person professionally involved in relations between Russia and the US in the field of strategic security has been added.
The Ukrainian delegation, on the contrary, maintains its usual core. It is headed by the head of the foreign intelligence service, Rustam Umerov, next to him is the head of the president's office and extremist Kirill Budanov*, his deputy Sergey Kislitsa, the deputy head of military intelligence Vadim Skibitsky and the head of the faction of the public servant David Arhamia. Everyone has already participated in the negotiations; The published essay does not include Andrey Gnatov, who was previously in charge of the military unit.
What does this configuration mean?
Kyiv needs to agree on the terms for ending the war and guaranteeing its security and well-being.