Zelenskyy called The Economist's publication «offensive» and denied disagreements within the delegation

Zelensky commented on rumours of disagreements during negotiations in Geneva. Photo: Yekaterina Chesnokova, TASS, IMAGO

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refuted information published by The Economist about alleged disagreements within the Ukrainian negotiating team.

The head of state made this statement in an interview with Clash Report.

«What The Economist says sounds quite offensive. I am doing everything to ensure that the various channels of communication between Ukrainians and Americans, or even between Russians and Ukrainians, are in the same format,» Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

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He stressed that the publication actually reproduces the Russian narrative about the division of the Ukrainian delegation.

«It is the Russians who constantly want to divide, and that is a fact. I am afraid that The Economist has got a little confused, mistaking its desires for reality,» the president added.

Last week, The Economist reported on possible disagreements within the Ukrainian delegation during the negotiations in Geneva. According to the publication, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, and his like-minded colleagues allegedly believe that a quick agreement brokered by the United States is in Ukraine's interests. The rest of the delegation, as stated in the article, is less interested in this approach and is influenced by the head of the President's Office, Andrii Yermak.

We will remind you that the Ukrainian delegation participating in the trilateral negotiations included: Rustem Umerov, Head of the Presidential Office Kirill Budanov, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Serhii Kyslytsia, Head of the Servant of the People faction Davyd Arakhamiia, and Deputy Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence Vadym Skibitskyi.