Negotiators from Russia Ukraine and the United States are set to meet in Abu Dhabi on Saturday for a second day of talks on a plan being promoted by United States President Donald Trump to end the nearly four year long war in Ukraine.
The meeting follows the first known direct contact between Ukrainian and Russian officials on the proposal which began on Friday. Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov said the initial discussions focused on the parameters for ending Russia’s war and the broader structure of the negotiation process going forward.
The talks come after an early United States draft proposal drew sharp criticism in Kyiv and across western Europe for appearing to align too closely with Moscow’s position. Subsequent revisions then faced resistance from Russia after they raised the possibility of deploying European peacekeepers.
Despite the evolving proposals both sides say the status of territory in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region remains one of the most difficult unresolved issues. The war has killed tens of thousands of people displaced millions and devastated large parts of the country.
The United Arab Emirates foreign ministry said the talks were scheduled to last two days and were part of ongoing efforts to promote dialogue and identify political solutions to the crisis.
Diplomatic activity has intensified in recent days. Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Separately United States envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.
The negotiations are taking place as Ukraine continues to endure heavy Russian attacks. The Abu Dhabi meeting began with thousands of people in Kyiv left without heating in sub zero temperatures after Russian strikes damaged energy infrastructure. The European Union accused Moscow of deliberately depriving civilians of heat and said it had sent hundreds of generators to help ease the crisis.
Overnight strikes killed one person and injured at least 22 others in Kyiv and the northeastern city of Kharkiv according to Ukrainian authorities. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the capital was under a massive attack with several non residential buildings hit and urged residents to remain in shelters.
While diplomacy to end Europe’s worst conflict since World War II has gathered momentum Moscow and Kyiv remain entrenched over territorial demands. Hours after Putin met Witkoff and Trump’s son in law Jared Kushner the Kremlin reiterated its position that Ukraine must withdraw its forces from the eastern Donbas region.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s stance was well known and insisted that Ukrainian forces must leave Donbas calling it a very important condition. Ukraine which still controls about 20 percent of the region has firmly rejected those terms.
Ahead of the talks Zelensky told reporters that territory remained a key issue and said peace would require a genuine willingness from Russia to end the war. In an online post he added that it was necessary not only for Ukraine to want peace and security but for a similar desire to emerge in Russia.
The last known face to face meeting between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators took place in Istanbul last summer and resulted only in agreements to exchange prisoners of war. The Abu Dhabi talks mark the first time the two sides have met directly to discuss the Trump administration’s plan.
Putin has repeatedly said Russia would seek full control of eastern Ukraine by force if negotiations fail. After the Moscow talks with United States officials Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said Russia was genuinely interested in a diplomatic resolution but stressed that until such an outcome is achieved Moscow would continue pursuing its objectives on the battlefield.
Trump has previously pressured Ukraine to accept terms Kyiv views as capitulation. On Wednesday he again said he believed Putin and Zelensky were close to reaching an agreement warning that failure to do so would be foolish on both sides.
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