Zelenskyy holds consultations with Ukrainian team ahead of Abu Dhabi talks

According to Zelenskyy, he had just consulted with the Ukrainian delegation via loudspeaker before the start of the negotiations.

"I spoke with the head of the delegation, Rustem Umerov, as well as with the entire team. Everyone understands what to do. We discussed the framework, topics, and desired outcome. We also discussed that the formats may vary," the President says.

He adds that the negotiating team will respond directly to the course of the dialogue on the spot.

"Because this is the first time in a long time that it has been held in this format," says the head of state.

The President also stresses that he would remain in constant contact with the team.

Negotiations in Abu Dhabi

Today and tomorrow, a meeting between Ukraine, the US, and Russia is taking place in the United Arab Emirates.

The President stressed that the Donbas issue will be among the key topics at these negotiations. The head of state also approved the composition of the Ukrainian delegation today, headed by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov.

The negotiating team also includes the head of the President's Office, Kyrylo Budanov, and his deputy, Sergiy Kyslytsya, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andrii Hnatov, the head of the Servant of the People faction in the Verkhovna Rada, Davyd Arakhamia, and a representative of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Vadym Skibitskyi.

Meanwhile, the Russian delegation is represented by high-ranking officials from the Russian Ministry of Defense, who have received clear instructions from Putin. The negotiating team is headed by GRU chief Igor Kostyukov.

Read everything about the first trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the US, and Russia, as well as what preceded this meeting, in RBC-Ukraine's report.