Abu Dhabi. — The trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States to try to end the war will continue next week in Abu Dhabi, a source with direct knowledge of the process informed the AFP agency this Saturday, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.
The confirmation comes after a spokesperson for the United Arab Emirates government indicated that the
second round of dialogues took place in a “
constructive and positive environment”. The talks were held behind closed doors and lasted for almost
three hours, focusing on the
control of Donbas and on
post-conflict security measures, according to the Russian agencies TASS and RIA Novosti.
The spokesperson for Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s chief negotiator,
Diana Davitian, confirmed that the meeting concluded after several hours of exchange, in a process marked by
territorial tension in the east of
Ukraine. The Kremlin reiterated its demand that
Kyiv withdraw its forces from Donbas, a condition that Moscow considers essential for a lasting agreement, anticipating complex negotiations in the next round.
Umerov explained that the dialogues initiated on Friday focused on “
the parameters for ending Russia’s war and the logical continuation of the negotiation process aimed at advancing towards a dignified and lasting peace”. These are the
first known direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv regarding the
plan promoted by the United States to resolve the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II, which has left
tens of thousands dead since 2022.
The Russian delegation is headed by
General Igor Kostyukov, head of military intelligence (GRU). The United States participates through
Steve Witkoff and
Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President
Donald Trump. The Ukrainian President,
Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that “
it is still too early to draw conclusions” and stressed that peace will only be possible if there is a real will on the Russian side as well.
The conversations are taking place at a
critical moment for Ukraine, whose
energy infrastructure has been severely damaged by Russian attacks, causing
blackouts and heating cuts amid extreme winter temperatures. In the last few hours, bombings in
Kyiv left at least
one dead and four injured, while in
Kharkiv a drone attack caused
11 injuries, according to local authorities.
The process is carried out
outside of Europe and without the participation of European Union countries, who fear that Washington will pressure Kyiv to accept an agreement perceived as favorable to Moscow. Russia has repeatedly criticized the European intervention. On the military front, Ukraine faces
sustained setbacks against a better-armed adversary, in a context of high dependence on Western support.
Kremlin spokesman
Dmitri Peskov reiterated that the Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbas is a key condition for any long-term agreement. From Washington, President Trump has intensified the pressure to reach a deal, recently stating that
Putin and Zelensky are close to an agreement, while Moscow claims to be interested in a diplomatic solution, although it warns that it will continue to advance on the battlefield until it achieves its objectives.
