Ukraine, Russia and US wrap up first day of Abu Dhabi peace talks

Senior officials from Ukraine, Russia and the United States have concluded the first day of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending the war. The discussions lasted four hours, and senior officials from Kyiv and Moscow kept details private afterward. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was not present at the meetings, described them as constructive and quite substantive. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Paris, also called the meeting very productive.

Key Issues and Stances

Expectations for an immediate breakthrough remain low as the positions of Moscow and Kyiv stay far apart. A major point of disagreement involves the eastern region of Donetsk, which is mostly occupied by Russia. Moscow demands that Ukraine give up the parts of Donetsk it still holds, while Kyiv wants to freeze the contact line to keep control of those areas. Jared Kushner, a US delegate, told attendees that the US had narrowed the gaps between the two sides without sharing specific details. US officials noted that while public stances are firm, both sides have shown some flexibility privately regarding eastern regions. Discussions also covered humanitarian issues such as prisoner of war exchanges and postwar security concerns.

Context

These high-level negotiations mark a renewed diplomatic push led by Washington following earlier discussions held in Geneva in February. Achieving a lasting peace settlement requires untangling complex territorial claims and agreeing on a new security framework for the entire region. European nations are also pressing for a seat at the table to ensure their own security concerns are addressed in any final agreement.