Russia Shifts Tactics: The Kremlin Prepares a Strong Negotiation Team

Vladimir Putin is approaching the talks concerning Ukraine with more seriousness than expected, writes The Spectator columnist Mark Galeotti. He notes that the Kremlin is assembling a team of seasoned diplomats and security officials, including Yuri Ushakov, Sergei Naryshkin, and Kirill Dmitriev, which indicates a shift in Moscow's strategy, reports NewsBox.

The Kremlin is showing a new approach to potential talks on Ukraine, claims The Spectator columnist Mark Galeotti. According to him, Vladimir Putin is forming a team of high-level negotiators, which suggests the process is being taken more seriously than many experts anticipated.

Galeotti recalls that in 2022, during the failed negotiations in Istanbul, the Russian side was represented by former Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, whom many considered a less serious figure. However, things have changed: according to Bloomberg, the key figures in the upcoming negotiations will be Yuri Ushakov, the Russian President's aide, and Sergei Naryshkin, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). Financier Kirill Dmitriev may also play an unofficial role.

Yuri Ushakov is a highly experienced diplomat who served as ambassador to the United States from 1998 to 2008 and has been Putin's foreign policy advisor since 2012. One former employee of the American embassy in Moscow describes him as an "unmatched diplomat" and a master negotiator.

As for Sergei Naryshkin, Galeotti suggests he is more of a politician than an intelligence officer, and his agency has previously engaged in informal contacts with the CIA.

Kirill Dmitriev, a Stanford and Harvard graduate, previously worked at McKinsey and Goldman Sachs before returning to Russia to lead the National Wealth Fund. Galeotti believes his unconventional style could make him a valuable negotiator, especially considering the potential involvement of Donald Trump, known for his transactional politics.

Dmitriev played a role in the release of American teacher Marc Fogel, which earned Trump political points. The Kremlin saw it as a successful exchange that could pave the way for further dialogue.

Galeotti concludes that while it's too early to discuss the timeline and effectiveness of the negotiations, signs suggest Putin is approaching them much more seriously than many expected.