Ukrainian delegation heads to US to discuss peace plan

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Rustem Umerov said on Saturday that he is leading a Ukrainian delegation to the US to discuss the parameters of a future peace settlement with Russia.

"The Ukrainian delegation is on its way to the US," Umerov said on Telegram.

The delegation is expected to arrive in the US on Sunday. Umerov did not specify who their counterparts would be in America.

This development follows President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's appointment of Umerov as the head of the delegation for talks with the "international partners."

Umerov replaced the former head of the presidential office, Andriy Yermak, who was dismissed the previous day.

Zelenskyy announced on Friday that Yermak had submitted his resignation, and a formal decree was subsequently signed to confirm his dismissal.

The dismissal comes amid a corruption scandal in Ukraine's energy sector. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) conducted searches at Yermak's residence.

The US administration had previously confirmed that it was working on a plan for a Ukrainian settlement but declined to provide details while the process was ongoing.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has stated that Russia is still open to negotiations and is committed to a diplomatic resolution of the conflict.