Putin assembles heavyweight team for Ukraine negotiations

Russian President Vladimir Putin is forming a seasoned negotiating team to engage in potential peace talks with representatives from the Trump administration regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine. The team includes Yuri Ushakov, a veteran foreign policy advisor and former ambassador to the U.S.; Sergey Naryshkin, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service and a long-time confidant of Putin; and Kirill Dmitriev, a financier with close ties to the Kremlin who may serve as an informal communication channel. Reports indicate that Putin is determined to secure a favorable outcome, although some analysts suggest he may be prepared for negotiations to fail, believing that the West cannot reverse Russia's territorial gains. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the U.S. is viewed as a primary counterpart in these diplomatic efforts. Previous ceasefire talks held in 2022 did not yield results, leaving questions about the outcome of any new discussions. The involvement of Trump's team, which reportedly lacks similar diplomatic experience, adds another layer of complexity to the negotiations.