Ukraine hopes for "serious and responsible" talks with Russia backed by the U.S. in Geneva on February 17-18, the head of Kyiv's delegation said on Friday.

The Ukrainian team remains the same and was "formed taking into account the military, political, and security components of the process," Rustem Umerov said on the Telegram app.

Moscow announced earlier on Friday that the Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky will head the Russian delegation instead of Igor Kostyukov, its head of military intelligence.