New Delegation for Peace Talks in Istanbul
On May 15, President Volodymyr Zelensky officially approved the composition of the Ukrainian delegation that will represent the country in negotiations with the Russian Federation in Istanbul aimed at achieving a sustainable and fair peace.
This is confirmed by decree No. 306/2025 published on the President's Office website.
The delegation will be headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and it includes:
- Serhiy Kyslytsya – First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine;
- Oleksandr Poklad – Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine;
- Oleh Luhovskyi – First Deputy Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service;
- Oleksiy Shevchenko – Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
- Vadym Skibitskyi – Deputy Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense;
- Yevhen Shinkarov – Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force Command;
- Oleksandr Diakov – Deputy Chief of Staff of the Naval Forces Command;
- Oleksiy Malovatskyi – Head of the International and Operational Law Department;
- Oleksandr Sherikhov – Senior Officer of the Main Operational Directorate;
- Heorhiy Kuzmychov – Protocol Officer;
- Oleksandr Bevz – Advisor to the Head of the President's Office.
The President's decree also allows the head of the delegation to make changes to its composition with Zelensky’s approval, and it establishes confidential negotiation directives.
It is worth noting that President Zelensky traveled to Ankara anticipating negotiations with Vladimir Putin.
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Putin will not travel to Istanbul for talks, and Russia sent a low-level delegation led by Putin's aide Vladimir Medinsky.
In this context, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sees no chances for breakthroughs in negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations.
