Special Envoy of President Zelensky, Rustem Umerov, takes us back to the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, recalling nightly conversations with the presidential office and the first attempts at negotiation only days after the war had begun.

Serving as one of Ukraine’s negotiators, Umerov’s first-hand account of the past months offers unique insights into the dynamics of an ongoing armed conflict. He also shares his personal motivations for going into human rights work, and for choosing to negotiate at a time when war rages at home.

If you are interested in learning more about the Oslo Forum, you can find this year's report here.