Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration Dmitry Kozak has already started supervising the "Ukrainian direction" and issues of "integration."
"I could say that yes, Kozak is engaged in and will continue dealing with Ukrainian affairs and integration issues in his new position. The exact wording will be stipulated in the distribution of responsibilities, which has not yet been formalized," Peskov told journalists, answering a question from an UNIAN correspondent in Russia whether a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's aide Andriy Yermak [Head of President's Office as of February 11] with Kozak means that the latter will be in charge of the Ukrainian direction in the Russian Presidential Administration.
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Answering a clarifying question from UNIAN what kind of integration Kozak will deal with, Peskov said: "Not between Russia and Ukraine. Russia has many integration processes besides Ukraine, in which it [Russia] has been very successful."
Moreover, according to Peskov, the resignation letter submitted by Vladislav Surkov, who had previously supervised the "Ukrainian direction" in the Kremlin, has not been signed yet. "No, not signed yet. We have not announced this," Peskov said.
He confirmed Kozak would be the main official in the Russian Presidential Administration to deal with Ukraine.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Yermak said he had met with Kozak. According to Yermak, he represents Ukraine in the Normandy Four format (Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany), although he is not an "exclusive negotiator." At the same time, he confirmed that Kozak represents the Russian side at talks with Ukraine. Yermak added they had already discussed lists for future prisoner swaps.
