Zelensky: Too early to judge negotiation team led by Budanov

The appointment of Kyrylo Budanov as Head of the Office of the President and his inclusion in the negotiation team is intended to strengthen the state’s negotiating position.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated this during a briefing, according to a correspondent from Ukrinform.

"I believe that, first of all, it is inappropriate to be dissatisfied with a team that has just begun its work. Everything depends on the results of the negotiation group, which includes Kyrylo Oleksiiovych [Budanov]. You know what result the state needs. And I count on Rustem Umerov, on Kyrylo Budanov, on David Arakhamia, on representatives of the intelligence services. I also very much count on Andrii Hnatov and Sergiy Kyslytsya," he emphasized.

He noted that the negotiation team is working on both political and military tracks, and that its effectiveness and public satisfaction with its work can be assessed later.

He also said that he has not seen any specific reaction from the Russian side to Budanov's appointment.

"I strengthened the negotiation group because I did not want the Russians and the United States to work through different channels regarding the end of the war. Therefore, at the Office of the President, I gathered all the people with whom they [the Russian negotiating side] had contact at one time or another. It was very important for me that everyone work as one team. And today we have one team," Zelensky stressed.

He added that the enemy always seeks to create parallel channels for negotiations, "but we will not give them the opportunity to divide the teams and, in doing so, divide Ukrainian society."

"As for the work of the Office [following Budanov's appointment as Head of the Office], we are working normally, there are no issues," Zelensky emphasized.

At the same time, he noted that the position of Deputy Head of the Office for economic issues remains vacant.

As Ukrinform previously reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky once again confirmed that the round of trilateral talks between the delegations of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia planned for this week has not been postponed, although he suggested that the meeting may take place not in Abu Dhabi but in Europe or Turkey.