Russian, Ukrainian, and US negotiators are scheduled to hold talks on ending the full-scale war in Ukraine, which is nearing its five-year mark. The two-day session in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, follows previous negotiations earlier this year that failed to produce visible progress. The talks come after a localized truce around the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, brokered with the help of US First Lady Melania Trump.
Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on key elements of a prospective peace deal. Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to pull its troops back from the four regions Moscow illegally annexed in September 2022 and abandon its bid to join NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejects Putin's demands, arguing that an immediate ceasefire is the first step toward negotiating a wider settlement.
Security guarantees are set to be a key topic in the talks. Ukraine and its allies have discussed security guarantees similar to NATO's Article 5, which states that an attack on one member is an attack against all. Zelensky noted that Ukraine's security guarantees boil down to what Western allies would do if Russia were to launch a new invasion.
Russia rejects the idea of European troops being deployed to Ukraine after a prospective peace deal, warning that it would view them as legitimate targets. The Kremlin insists that any prospective deal should also offer security guarantees for Russia. US President Donald Trump said that Moscow and Kyiv are "very close" to a deal, but added that the outcome would be different from what Ukraine currently has.
Ukraine insists that its European allies must have a seat at the negotiating table, while Russia opposes any such involvement at this stage. Ukraine's chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, said his delegation will meet separately with European envoys in Abu Dhabi. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Europeans would need to be involved in broader negotiations, but only later.
The Russian delegation is led by Vladimir Medinsky, a former culture minister known for his hard-line views. The Ukrainian delegation is led by Umerov, head of the country's presidential office. The US envoys include Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who have been involved in previous negotiations.
The talks in Abu Dhabi are seen as a crucial step toward finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict. However, with sharply divergent demands and complex issues on the table, a breakthrough remains uncertain. The outcome of the talks could have significant implications for the future of Ukraine and European security.
Key points
- The talks in Abu Dhabi will focus on security guarantees and a potential peace deal.
- Russia and Ukraine have sharply divergent demands, with Russia seeking Ukraine's withdrawal from annexed regions and Ukraine pushing for an immediate ceasefire.
- European involvement in the negotiations is a contentious issue, with Ukraine supporting their participation and Russia opposing it.
