Putin prepares a “heavy team” for peace talks – British political scientist

Putin prepares professional negotiators to discuss a peace agreement / screenshotNo one still knows whether the Russian ruler Vladimir Putin is in fact set for peace talks with Ukraine. It is possible that he simply watches the differences in the western camp. At the same time, it cannot be excluded that it considers the possibility of a certain agreement.

Given his management style – more tactical than strategic – he is likely to simply study the available opportunities, writes in the article for The Spectator political scientist, Mayak Intelligence, the head of the consulting company, author of about 30 books on Russia, Mark Galeotty.

Choosing the negotiation format, their places and participants can tell a lot about Putin’s true intentions. For example, in 2022, in negotiations in Istanbul, Russia was represented by Vladimir Medinsky, a former Minister of Culture, known for his propaganda of “patriotic” culture. He funded the creation of history textbooks and military-patriotic films that reflected the nationalist view of Russia’s past. Because of this, he was perceived as a marginal figure, although Putin was probably just looking for a devoted performer, not an independent negotiator. The choice of Medinsky is unlikely to contribute to productive negotiations.

This time, according to Bloomberg, the Kremlin forms a “heavy team” from experienced negotiators, which in itself is an important signal. The key figures include the dictator assistant Yuri Ushakov, the director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Narishkin, as well as the financier Kirill Dmitriev, who will play an unofficial role.

The position of the President’s assistant in the Russian system may have different meanings – from the honorary title to real power. In the case of Ushakov, the second option is definitely. The 77-year-old diplomat since 2012 has been Putin’s main foreign policy advisor, and his influence has only increased against the background of the weakening of the foreign minister of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Earlier, Ushakov was an ambassador to the United States (1998–2008), in those years when Moscow focused on cooperation with the West than the confrontation. It is characterized as a skilled diplomat and negotiation master.

Sergiy Narishkin, known for his anti -Western statements (recently he suggested that Poland has imperial ambitions against Lviv), may look less obvious. However, his service has already conducted unofficial contacts with the CIA, and he himself is more a politician than a security forces. The former State Duma Speaker, Narishkin has the skills of hardware struggle and is able to control the political consequences of any arrangements within Russia.

Financialist Kirill Dmitriev, a graduate of Stanford and Harvard, former employee of McKinsey and Goldman Sachs, who now heads the Russian direct investment fund – can become an unexpected player in negotiations. His experience in the West and an unconventional approach can make it a key figure in informal communication channels, in particular in the event of Donald Trump’s victory. Dmitriev has already played a role in the liberation of the American teacher Mark Fogel, which brought political dividends and at the same time a great signal for Moscow.

Galeotti believes that it is too early to say when and whether there are negotiations, not to mention their possible success. However, the first signals indicate that this time Putin approaches them much more seriously than could be expected.

Peace talks are need to knowWe will remind, earlier UNIAN wrote that possible negotiations in Saudi Arabia for the end of the war was commented by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy:

“I don’t know. We didn’t talk about it. Something is printing media. I saw someone saying that there would be a meeting in Saudi Arabia. I don’t know what is …”.

At the same time, he added that Ukraine is not going to participate in negotiations on an outdated format, when important decisions are made without its participation.

Later, the adviser to the head of the Presidential Office Mikhail Podolyak stated that Ukraine will not have parliamentarians in Saudi Arabia, where negotiations with the participation of the US and Russia will take place:

“There is nothing on the negotiating table today that could be discussed. Russia is not ready for negotiations.”

You may also be interested in news:

• Saudi Arabia will discuss the future summit with the participation of Trump, Putin and Zelensky – Reuters
• The Kremlin called Trump and Putin’s conversation “friendly on both sides”
• The pilot moved from the F-16 to F-35 and shared what became the “biggest surprise”