Russia to Discuss Territorial Issues with Ukraine at Geneva Negotiations

Moscow (ANTARA) - Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the Geneva negotiations on Ukraine would cover a broader range of topics than the Abu Dhabi round, including key territorial issues.

He said that discussion of these issues required the presence of the head of the Russian delegation, who was absent from the talks in the United Arab Emirates.

“This meeting is intended to discuss a wider spectrum of questions, including, in fact, the main issues concerning territory and everything else. This is related to our needs. Here we need the presence of the chief negotiator, namely Vladimir Medinsky,” Peskov said at a press conference in Moscow.

To support this agenda, Russia will expand the composition of its delegation by bringing Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin and Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff Igor Kostyukov to join the team.

“The delegation will indeed be expanded this time. In addition to Medinsky, there will also be Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin and other officials,” he said.

When asked why Medinsky did not participate in the previous round in Abu Dhabi, Peskov said it was because “they were specifically focused on security matters.”

Medinsky continues to lead Russia’s negotiating delegation on Ukraine, he said.

Meanwhile, presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev will also take part in the Geneva negotiations. He will work separately in an economic cooperation working group with the United States, according to Peskov.

President Vladimir Putin remains in contact with the negotiators regarding the Ukraine settlement, and they received detailed instructions ahead of their departure, he said.

The initial round of trilateral security consultations between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States was previously held on 23-24 January in Abu Dhabi, with the second round continuing at the same venue on 4-5 February.