Umerov to lead Ukraine delegation in Abu Dhabi peace talks despite media confusion, top official confirms

Ukraine's primary negotiator and foreign intelligence chief Rustem Umerov will lead Kyiv's negotiation team at trilateral peace talks with Russia and the U.S. next week, a top official confirmed on Nov. 6.

David Arakhamia, head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's parliamentary group, confirmed Umerov's role in comments to the Kyiv Independent after a briefing at the White House.

"Umerov is head of negotiations," Arakhamia said.

The talks in Abu Dhabi are expected to take place on Nov. 10 in a trilateral format, with Ukrainian, Russian, and U.S. officials in attendance.

The news follows confusion after the media incorrectly reported that Zelensky's chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, would lead the Ukrainian delegation. Zelensky's communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn later told reporters that Budanov did not say he would lead the delegation, only that he would attend.

In previous peace talks, both men have attended, but Umerov is considered the one leading the talks.

"No changes so far," Lytvyn told reporters when asked to confirm that Umerov would lead the delegation. A senior EU official also told the Kyiv Independent that they understood Umerov would be in charge of the Ukrainian delegation in Abu Dhabi.

In comments to the Kyiv Independent, Arakhamia clarified that the delegation would include himself, Lytvyn, Budanov, Umerov, and Serhii Kyslytsia, first deputy head of the Presidential Office.

When asked directly if Budanov would take the lead in the negotiations, Arakhamia was clear: "No, it's Umerov."

Arakhamia also said that the Ukrainian team in Abu Dhabi would discuss Russia's recent escalating attacks — including the deadly strike on a humanitarian aid center in Komyshuvakha — with both the U.S. and Russian delegations.

The scheduled talks come amid a renewed U.S. effort to revive negotiations. Moscow has repeatedly rejected Western-backed proposals for a full and unconditional ceasefire, which Kyiv has supported, while continuing to demand that Ukraine cede Donbas.

In an interview with CBS News, Budanov sought to tamp down expectations of a significant breakthrough.

"I will repeat once again, these negotiations are not the last, they are not final," Budanov said.

European officials are not expected to attend, despite Europe providing the bulk of military and financial support to Kyiv and leading efforts to provide security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

European, Ukrainian, and U.S. representatives met in Brussels on Nov. 5 to coordinate positions ahead of the expected Abu Dhabi talks, quickly followed by a call between Zelensky and the group of eight Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8) on Nov. 6.

EU leaders are set to discuss on Nov. 13 how the bloc is represented at peace talks, after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni complained about a lack of unified approach.

Following his call with the NB8, Zelensky said that "there have been many preparatory steps in recent days: a meeting in Brussels involving NATO and Europeans, my contacts with the U.S. president's envoys, and virtually constant communication between our negotiating teams."

"We all agree that issues concerning Europe's security must be discussed with the participation of European nations, all of which equally deserve guaranteed security," Zelensky said.