The Kremlin’s announcement that Russian diplomats and military officials will join talks alongside the U.S. and Ukraine reflects the ongoing diplomatic tracks aimed at addressing the war.
The trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi, meant to discuss ending Moscow’s war against Ukraine, is scheduled for Tuesday November 10 to Wednesday November 11 and will be the first such talks since February.
Russia’s delegation, headed again by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky as chief negotiator, will include Ryabkov for the first time as well as Yuri Zhigarlovsky, a senior General Staff officer, the report said.
Ryabkov oversees Russia’s relations with North and South America and is responsible for arms control, non-proliferation and issues related to Iran’s nuclear programme.
Zhigarlovsky is a deputy chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff, the body responsible for military planning and operations.
According to the report, the delegation will also include Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin and chief of Russia’s military intelligence Igor Kostyukov, who have joined past missions.
All members of the delegation met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday at a Russian Security Council meeting that was partly devoted to the upcoming talks.
During the televised portion of the meeting, Putin thanked the United Arab Emirates for hosting the negotiations and said he wanted to discuss preparations for the talks with the Russian team.
Most of the meeting took place behind closed doors, with the Kremlin showing only the opening minutes, as is customary for such gatherings.
US negotiators have been seeking a breakthrough in the long-running conflict before the winter sets in.
The last US-mediated peace talks took place in February before the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran.
Including military officials alongside career diplomats typically signals a shift or an attempt to delve deeper into the technical, logistical, and enforcement-heavy aspects of potential agreements, such as cease-fire monitoring, security lines, or demilitarized zones, rather than just high-level political posturing.
However, international analysts and regional observers often approach these multi-track negotiations with caution.
While diplomatic engagement remains critical, major hurdles continue to divide Moscow and Kyiv—particularly regarding territorial control, long-term security guarantees, and the fundamental terms of any lasting settlement.
