The Controversial Figure Behind Russias Negotiations in Ukraine: Vladimir Medinsky Unveiled

On Friday, Russia and Ukraine engaged in close to two hours of peace discussions in Turkey, marking their first direct negotiations since the unsuccessful conversations during the early stages of the Kremlin’s invasion in 2022.

President Vladimir Putin turned down an invitation from his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, for a direct meeting in Istanbul. Instead, he dispatched a delegation led by Vladimir Medinsky, the Kremlin adviser who had previously spearheaded talks with Ukraine in March and April 2022.

Accompanying Medinsky were Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, and Igor Kostyukov, the head of Russia’s military intelligence agency, GRU.

Analysts have described Moscow’s resumption of direct discussions within the Istanbul framework as more of a symbolic maneuver rather than an attempt to find a genuine resolution to the ongoing conflict.

The Moscow Times examines the individual leading Russia’s delegation:

**Political Profile**

At 54 years old, Medinsky is a prominent Russian politician and historian recognized for his staunch nationalist ideology and strong ties to Putin.

Previously a deputy in the State Duma, he also holds positions as the chairman and first secretary of the Union of Writers of Russia, in addition to overseeing the Russian Military Historical Society.

During his tenure as culture minister from 2012 to 2020, Medinsky rolled out policies aimed at increasing state influence over cultural narratives, asserting that culture ought to serve nationalistic objectives.

**Interest in History**

A prolific writer, Medinsky has authored numerous books that advocate for Russian nationalism while disputing Western interpretations of the country’s history, closely aligning with Putin’s narrative.

His series “Myths About Russia” seeks to refute what he perceives as incorrect stereotypes about the nation, although it has faced significant backlash from historians.

A collective of academics published a work titled “Anti-Medinsky: A Refutation. How the Ruling Party ‘Edits’ History,” which challenges his depictions and accuses him of warping historical facts to further political goals.

In 2017, Medinsky was embroiled in a major academic controversy due to his doctoral dissertation, «Problems of Objectivity in the Portrayal of Russian History in the Second Half of the 15th to 17th Centuries,” which several historians deemed unscientific and filled with inaccuracies.

The expert council of Russia’s Higher Attestation Commission suggested revoking his doctorate, yet Medinsky retained his degree.

**Involvement in the Ukraine Conflict**

Following Russia’s full-scale incursion into Ukraine in 2022, Medinsky, who originally hails from Ukraine, became a crucial player in the diplomatic engagements between the two nations, representing the Kremlin’s interests at the negotiation table.

As per a draft of the 2022 Istanbul Communique reviewed by Reuters, Ukraine was willing to adopt permanent neutrality in exchange for international security assurances from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with additional countries such as Belarus, Canada, Germany, Israel, Poland, and Turkey.

Ukraine tentatively agreed to maintain a non-nuclear stance and forgo NATO membership in return for security guarantees. This assurance would require the U.S. and its allies to intervene against Russia directly in the event of another invasion, according to Reuters.

However, after multiple rounds of discussions, the negotiations stalled.

Experts and Ukrainian officials met Medinsky’s reassignment as chief negotiator in 2025 with skepticism, questioning his capacity to make binding decisions.

Zelensky described the Russian delegation led by Medinsky as a “sham,” claiming it lacked sincere intentions to resolve the conflict.

“The leader of the delegation…does not seem suitable for this role,” noted Alexander Baunov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “He is neither a technocrat nor an expert, but rather a highly ideological and imprecise narrator of history for a broad audience.”

“In a sense, this aligns with Putin’s perspective of the war in Ukraine as primarily an effort to rectify a historical error: the creation of a separate and, significantly, an ‘incorrect’ Ukraine,” Baunov stated.

“Some argue that Medinsky’s role is acceptable because he ‘almost reached’ an agreement in spring 2022…In reality, all the most contentious matters were left for personal discussions at higher levels,” he added, referencing ongoing disputes regarding Russian-held territories, the size of the Ukrainian military, and the list of countries guaranteeing peace.