--- title: "Russia updates delegation for Abu Dhabi talks: ISW explains Kremlin's strategy" description: "Russia has updated its delegation for trilateral talks with Ukraine and the US in Abu Dhabi on Nov 10–11. ISW links the inclusion of Ryabkov and Ushakov to the Kremlin's intent to push for maximalist conditions." date: 2026-11-08T08:47:22.288Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/russia-updates-delegation-abu-dhabi-talks tags: [russia-ukraine-talks, abu-dhabi, isw, sergey-ryabkov, kirill-budanov, peace-negotiations] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Russia updates delegation for Abu Dhabi talks: ISW explains Kremlin's strategy ![Vladimir Medinsky at an official event with the Istanbul logo in the background](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/08/rossiya-obnovila-delegatsiyu-peregovory-abu-dabi/rossiya-obnovila-delegatsiyu-peregovory-abu-dabi-1.webp) ## Key Points - Russia has updated its delegation for trilateral talks with Ukraine and the US in Abu Dhabi on November 10–11, 2026. - The delegation includes Medinsky, Kostyukov, Ushakov, Galuzin, and Ryabkov — officials previously involved in delaying the negotiation process. - ISW assesses the composition as a signal that Moscow is not interested in good-faith negotiations. - Ukraine will be represented by, among others, Kyrylo Budanov; Zelenskyy stressed the need to discuss security guarantees. Russia has updated the composition of the delegation that will participate in the third round of trilateral talks with Ukraine and the US in Abu Dhabi. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The meeting is scheduled for November 10–11, 2026, and will be the first of its kind since February; the parties intend to discuss ending Russia's war against Ukraine. ### Composition of the Russian delegation According to ISW data, the Russian side will now be represented by Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff Admiral Igor Kostyukov, Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, as well as Deputy Foreign Ministers Mikhail Galuzin and Sergey Ryabkov. Thus, the delegation includes both high-ranking diplomats and military officials, reflecting the multifaceted nature of the upcoming round. ### Experience from previous rounds Analysts remind that Kostyukov headed the Russian delegation during the first two rounds of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, held on January 23–24 and February 4–5, 2026, after which he was replaced by Medinsky, who led the Russian delegation at the Geneva (Switzerland) talks on February 17–18. ISW assesses that Medinsky was the one who delayed the negotiation process at that time by discussing the so-called "historical roots" of the war. Galuzin, in turn, was part of the Russian delegation at talks in Istanbul (Turkey), as well as in Geneva in May 2025 and February 2026, and repeatedly emphasized the need to address the so-called "root causes" of the conflict. ### Maximalist positions and Ryabkov's role Yuri Ushakov is a high-ranking Kremlin official who regularly comments on the progress of negotiations with Ukraine and has repeatedly voiced Moscow's maximalist demands: according to him, Ukraine must make unilateral concessions before Russia agrees to hold substantive peace talks. Sergey Ryabkov has not officially participated in peace talks but has often stated that Russia can only accept peace proposals that align with Vladimir Putin's military goals and "realities on the ground," and has regularly reaffirmed Russia's commitment to certain agreements with the US, allegedly reached at the end of the Alaska summit in August 2025. He has also been involved in promoting Kremlin ultimatums to NATO, aimed at dismantling the Alliance in its current form under the pretext of providing Russia with "security guarantees." ### ISW analyst assessment Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War note that the inclusion of officials who have previously delayed the negotiation process suggests that Moscow remains uninterested in good-faith negotiations. The presence of Ryabkov, in their opinion, is also notable because the Kremlin may use his experience with the 2021 ultimatums to try to force its position during the talks. ### Ukraine's position and meeting format The Ukrainian side has already announced its delegation: it will include the Head of the Office of the President, Kyrylo Budanov. Initially, he stated he would head the negotiating group, but later, the President's communications advisor Dmytro Lytvyn clarified that Budanov would be one of its members. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the need to discuss security guarantees during the upcoming Abu Dhabi peace talks. The choice of venue was previously confirmed on the Russian side as well: following Vladimir Putin's meeting with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, Yuri Ushakov stated that for Moscow, this venue "seems quite acceptable." ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Россия сменила делегацию для переговоров в Абу-Даби: в ISW объяснили замысел Кремля](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiya-zminila-delegatsiyu-peregovoriv-abu-1794126223.html) - The composition of the Russian delegation (Medinsky, Kostyukov, Ushakov, Galuzin, Ryabkov), their previous participation in rounds in Abu Dhabi, Geneva, Istanbul, ISW assessments, the composition of the Ukrainian delegation (Budanov), and Zelenskyy's statement on security guarantees. - [Кремль считает Абу-Даби приемлемой площадкой для переговоров по Украине](https://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/2026/09/13/1228406-kreml-schitaet-abu-dabi) - Confirmation of the acceptability of the Abu Dhabi venue by Ushakov after Putin's meeting with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the BRICS summit in New Delhi; exact dates of previous rounds: January 23–24, February 4–5, and February 17–18, 2026. ## FAQ ### When and where will the trilateral talks be held? November 10–11, 2026, in Abu Dhabi. These will be the first such talks since February 2026. ### Who will be in the Russian delegation? Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff Admiral Igor Kostyukov, Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, as well as Deputy Foreign Ministers Mikhail Galuzin and Sergey Ryabkov. ### Who is representing the Ukrainian side? The delegation will include the Head of the Office of the President, Kyrylo Budanov. As clarified by presidential advisor Dmytro Lytvyn, Budanov will be one of the group's members, not its sole leader.