In a significant development, representatives from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are set to hold trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, in what officials describe as the first such meeting attended by all three countries since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago.
The Kremlin has confirmed that Russian officials will participate in the upcoming discussions, following a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and US envoys in Moscow. Russia described the previous talks as “useful in every respect,” but stressed that a long-term peace deal could not be reached until territorial issues had been resolved.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed cautious optimism about the Abu Dhabi talks, viewing them as “a step – hopefully towards ending the war.” However, he has also made it clear that the future status of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine remains an unresolved issue that will be a key point of discussion.
The territorial sticking points include Russia’s demand that Ukraine cede control of the 25% of the Donetsk region that Kyiv still holds. Zelenskyy has offered to withdraw troops by up to 40 km (25 miles) from the region in order to create an economic zone in Donbas, if Russia does the same.
The US has proposed a plan for a demilitarised and free economic zone in Ukraine’s industrial heartland of Donbas, in exchange for security guarantees for Kyiv. Zelenskyy has said he has reached an agreement with former US President Donald Trump on future American security guarantees for Ukraine, though he provided no further details.
The upcoming talks in Abu Dhabi will be attended by a range of officials from both sides. On the Russian side, the delegation will be led by General Igor Kostyukov, the director of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency. The Ukrainian delegation will include the head of the national security and defence council, Rustem Umerov, the head of Zelenskyy’s office, Kyrylo Budanov, and negotiator David Arakhamia.
As the diplomatic efforts continue, both Ukraine and Russia have reported drone attacks in recent days, underscoring the fragility of the situation on the ground. The talks in Abu Dhabi will be closely watched for any signs of progress towards a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict.
