Budanov was in contact with US at same time as Yermak, - media

Budanov had contacts with the US in parallel with Yermak

Kyrylo Budanov, as head of the DIU of the Ministry of Defence, was in contact with the American side alongside the then head of the OP, Yermak.

According to Censor.NET, this was reported by UP.

Details

"The new head of the President's Office was one of the few in his previous position who dared to maintain parallel to Yermak's contacts with various camps in Trump's team, from General Keith Kellogg to Vice President Vance's team, without publicising them. Although Yermak constantly tried to block these channels, both directly and through the president," the article says.

The publication's interlocutors said that last year Budanov repeatedly tried to convey to Zelenskyy the real picture of how Yermak is perceived in the United States, how his negotiating style and overall ability to do such work are assessed.

In the eyes of Americans, Budanov has two major advantages, the publication notes: he has a realistic view of the state of affairs in the war and is not involved in the latest high-profile corruption scandals, which "makes it possible to negotiate with him adequately" without any "reputational risks."

"In addition, Budanov is perhaps the only person in the country who has direct working contacts with the Russians. He communicated with them about prisoner exchanges and, for example, held separate face-to-face negotiations in the UAE during the latest wave of diplomatic efforts by the new US team," the article says.

The author suggests that Budanov, as head of the President's Office, will now effectively lead the Ukrainian side in negotiations on ending the war, guarantees from the US and partners, and other security issues.

Budanov - Head of the President's Office

As a reminder, on 2 January 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered the head of the DIU, Kyrylo Budanov, the position of head of the Office of the President. The decision was motivated by the need to strengthen the state's focus on security issues, the development of the Defence Forces, and diplomatic negotiations.
Budanov subsequently accepted Zelenskyy's offer and took charge of the Office of the President of Ukraine, describing his new position as another milestone of responsibility to the state at a historic time for the country.
The head of the Foreign Intelligence Service,
Oleh Ivashchenko, will carry out tasks to limit Russian military potential as head of the DIU of the Ministry of Defence, replacing Kyrylo Budanov.
On the evening of 2 January, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed decrees appointing Kyrylo Budanov as head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and Oleh Ivashchenko as head of the DIU.