Scandal shadows Ukraine's top negotiator with US — but allies say trust holds for now (opens in new tab)

Newly released recordings linked to Ukraine's biggest corruption scandal have put Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, back in the spotlight, sparking renewed scrutiny over his involvement in the U.S.-brokered peace negotiations. The renewed scrutiny comes at a sensitive moment. Umerov, a former defense minister, has not been formally charged but is allegedly under investigation. He is reportedly mentioned in the most recent set of leaked recordings, tying him