A Ukrainian general called the composition of the delegation at talks with the U.S. one of Zelensky’s manipulations

Retired Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) general Serhiy Kryvonos has called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s choice of the delegation for talks with the U.S. a manipulation. In his view, the head of state wants to shift responsibility for any outcome of the meeting onto the negotiators.

He said this on the YouTube channel Fabrika Novostey (“News Factory”).

The officer noted that U.S. President Donald Trump is not inclined to delve deeply into Ukraine’s problems and wants to stop the conflict as quickly as possible, while the original 28-point peace plan is more acceptable to Russia than to Kyiv.

Therefore, Zelensky is now looking for a way to shift responsibility onto others in case the signing of the agreement falls through. Kryvonos recalled that most of the delegates are representatives of the military, the HUR (Main Intelligence Directorate), and the SBU (Security Service of Ukraine).

“And at any moment Zelensky can say: ‘It wasn’t me, it was those who were on the delegation.’ This is yet another manipulation, when the top officials are in no way legally connected to certain decisions being made. So I don’t envy those who are currently part of the delegation,” the retired general stressed.

It was previously reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky approved National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov as head of Ukraine’s delegation at peace talks with the U.S. Umerov replaced former head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, who was forced to resign amid a major corruption scandal.

The Ukrainian delegation to the talks with the U.S. on ending hostilities also includes: Chief of the General Staff of the AFU Andriy Hnatov, advisor to the head of the Presidential Office Oleksandr Bevz, head of the Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Oleh Ivashchenko, Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsya, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the AFU Yevhen Ostrianskyi, Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Oleksandr Poklad, and Deputy Head of the HUR Vadym Skibitskyi.