“He’s smarter than the entire Ukrainian delegation”: In Russia, they explained why Kyiv doesn’t want to see Medinsky at the negotiations

In Russia, there has been a response to calls to replace the head of the Russian delegation in future negotiations with Ukraine. State Duma deputy Andrey Kartapolov stated that Vladimir Medinsky fully meets the requirements of his role and is capable of effectively representing Moscow’s interests.

Kartapolov emphasized that Medinsky possesses a high level of preparation and erudition:

“He is smarter than the entire Ukrainian delegation put together. A very knowledgeable, well-read, and intellectual person. Their combined intellectual potential is, well, somewhere at the level of Comrade Medinsky’s pinky finger. That is, he presents arguments, and they have nothing to counter them with — no answers at all.”

The parliamentarian also added that he does not expect anyone in the Ukrainian delegation to be comparable to Medinsky in terms of level.

The Federation Council reminded that the decision on the composition of the Russian delegation is made solely by the country’s leadership. Senators Vladimir Dzhabarov and Grigory Karasin stressed that discussing candidates with other states is unacceptable.

“Whom to appoint for negotiations is Russia’s sovereign right. When the Americans conduct negotiations, we don’t offer any advice,” Dzhabarov stated.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also denied rumors that the United States was trying to force a change in the head of the Russian delegation. According to him, such statements are merely speculation:

“If the U.S. had such intentions, they would convey them officially, not stoop to spreading rumors,” the minister noted.

Earlier, Medinsky stated his readiness for dialogue and the search for compromises in the framework of the Istanbul negotiations. Following the latest meeting on May 16, 2025, he announced an agreement to carry out a prisoner exchange under the formula “1,000 for 1,000.” Medinsky also noted that the main goal of the negotiations is to achieve a long-term peace and eliminate the root causes of the conflict.