Ukrainian delegation heads to US for peace talks after chief negotiator's resignation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today that a delegation headed by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustam Umerov is already en route to the United States to continue talks on an agreement to end the Russian war.

Umerov was appointed head of the Ukrainian delegation after the resignation of former chief negotiator Andriy Yermak, who was also Zelensky's chief of staff, on Friday, hours after anti-corruption investigators searched his apartment.

Zelensky said he expects the outcome of the meetings held with the United States in Geneva earlier this week to be finalized on Sunday.

Those meetings allowed Ukraine to present a counter-argument to the proposals put forward by US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to leaders in Kyiv nearly two weeks ago.

"Rustem reported today," Zelensky wrote on the X website. "The task is clear: to work quickly and substantively on the steps necessary to end the war."

Meanwhile, Russia is making increasing gains on the front lines, while Ukrainian cities are suffering power outages for hours every day due to the ongoing shelling of the power grid.

Zelensky said Ukraine is going through one of the most difficult moments in its history, but in a moving address last week, he promised his people that he would not betray the country.

ANHA