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Talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States of America took place in Abu Dhabi on 23-24 January. The importance of these meetings lies not only in the fact that Moscow and Kiev have finally returned to direct dialogue, but also in the active participation of Americans in this process. The talks were held behind closed doors and the parties preferred not to go into specific details about their results (after all, silence is golden), but on the whole, they noted the constructive nature of the contacts that took place. Read BelTA’s overview to find out how this trilateral meeting was prepared, what journalists have managed to learn, and, most importantly, whether there are any prospects for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
What preceded the negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the USA?
Of course, such a format of negotiations cannot be organized on the spur of the moment. Only French President Emmanuel Macron is capable of doing that. At least, he believes it is possible to call a G7 summit tomorrow with a single text message and even invite Ukrainians, Danes, Syrians, and Russians to attend it.
The meeting of the working group on security matters in a trilateral format - with representatives of Russia, the USA, and Ukraine - was preceded by negotiations in Davos and Moscow. On 22 January U.S. President Donald Trump met with Vladimir Zelensky in Switzerland. And on the same day (but much later) an American delegation led by the U.S. president’s special envoy Steven Witkoff met with the Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.
Without these two meetings, or more precisely, without their likely positive outcomes, the talks in Abu Dhabi would not have taken place. According to the Russian president’s aide Yuri Ushakov, the Americans shared their impressions and fresh assessments of Donald Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Zelensky in Davos as well as their assessment of other contacts that took place in December-January in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, USA and in a number of European capital cities.
“On the whole, I would say that the meeting between the Russian president and U.S. representatives was specifically focused on obtaining information about the results of the USA’s contacts with Ukrainians and European partners and determining parameters of consequent actions together, as if between two parties,” Yuri Ushakov said.
During the talks the parties agreed on the next step: a trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi. And they did not postpone the planned meeting till Monday.
“We have to admit that Americans have done a lot to prepare for the meeting and they hope that this meeting will be successful and will open up prospects for progress on the whole range of issues related to ending the conflict and reaching an agreement on a peaceful settlement,” the Russian president’s aide stressed.
Vladimir Zelensky also gave a positive assessment of the planned contacts with Russia and the USA. Speaking at the Davos forum, he announced the talks in the UAE and shared some details. “It will be a two-day meeting. I think it would be good for this trilateral meeting to begin at the technical level,” Vladimir Zelensky said.
Who participated in the trilateral talks on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi?
The Russian negotiating team at the meetings in Abu Dhabi was led by Igor Kostyukov, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. At first glance his position sounds somewhat vague. But if we recall the Soviet name of this division - the Main Intelligence Directorate (aka GRU) - then everything falls neatly into place. The delegation also included representatives of the Defense Ministry.
The Ukrainian delegation was headed by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, former defense minister Rustem Umerov. He was accompanied to Abu Dhabi by the head of Vladimir Zelensky’s office Kirill Budanov, and his deputy Sergei Kislitsa as well as by the chairman of the Servant of the People faction in the Ukrainian parliament David Arakhamia. On the second day of the talks they were joined by Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andrei Gnativ and Deputy Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry Vadim Skibitsky.
Some may say that the military are not a serious level. But this approach to forming a negotiating team - which consists of specialists who are well aware of what is happening on the front lines - suggests that the main topics of the negotiations were to be quite specific: the combat situation, the lines of contact, and the current state of affairs on the front.
The American side in Abu Dhabi was represented by Steven Witkoff, entrepreneur, investor, and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and a new face on the team, White House adviser Josh Greenbaum. He is also a senior adviser to the newly established Board of Peace. American military personnel were also present at the meeting: United States Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll, who has recently been referred to as Trump’s special representative for Ukraine, and Supreme Allied Commander Europe Alexus Grinkevich.
What was discussed at the talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the USA in Abu Dhabi?
The press was not allowed to attend the talks. Both days of the meetings proceeded behind closed doors, which was agreed upon by all parties. At the same time, according to journalists, the talks took place in various formats. This means that they may have been both official and less restricted.
In particular, TASS reported that the negotiating teams in Abu Dhabi are examining and discussing several documents on peace in Ukraine at once. “Territories, guarantees, and other aspects,” the news agency quoted its source as saying.
According to Vladimir Zelensky, the main topic of the meeting was “parameters for ending the war.” He made the statement in his address after the first round of the negotiations.
“Ukraine’s position is clear. I have defined the framework for dialogue for our delegation, which is in constant contact. As for the content of today’s discussions, it is too early to draw conclusions. We will see how the conversation proceeds tomorrow and what results it will bring,” Vladimir Zelensky wrote.
Rustem Umerov, who was directly involved in the meeting, added that the “further logic of the negotiation process aimed at achieving a dignified and lasting peace” had also been discussed.
The next day, as he evaluated the effectiveness of the meeting, Vladimir Zelensky recalled that it had been the first dialogue in this format in quite a long time: a two-day trilateral meeting. “We have managed to discuss a lot, and it is important that the conversation was constructive. The discussions were mainly focused on the possible parameters for ending the war. The American side raised the matter of possible formats for approving the parameters for ending the war and the security conditions required for it,” Vladimir Zelensky shared some details.
In his words, the delegations agreed to coordinate further steps with their leadership and outlined a list of items to discuss during the next meeting. It is expected to take place on 1 February.
The Russian side did not go into details of the negotiations either. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Ryabkov only noted that the Russian side defends the basic understandings reached with the USA as a result of the summit in Anchorage.
“We are making every effort to ensure that, in the course of contacts that have been ongoing almost continuously in various formats for the last few days, a settlement plan is developed that fully corresponds to the basic understandings reached by the presidents of Russia and the USA during their meeting in Anchorage,” said the Russian diplomat. He stressed that it is counterproductive to go into the details of what is happening.
Mass media cited unnamed sources to report that progress has been made on military matters: the parties discussed the possible withdrawal of the forces, mechanisms for monitoring the cessation of hostilities, the creation of a coordination center for the ceasefire, and criteria for determining violations of the ceasefire. At the same time, the territories remain a stumbling block.
How does the USA evaluate the trilateral talks on Ukraine?
U.S. mass media noted that the two-day meeting in the United Arab Emirates signals a resumption of the efforts to reach a peace agreement after several months of intermittent diplomacy.
The TV channel NBC News cited a White House representative to report that the trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi between the USA, Ukraine, and Russia had been productive. According to journalists, the key stumbling block remains the future of Ukraine’s eastern territories, with Moscow taking a tough stance on this matter.
The website Axios wrote that representatives of Russia, the USA, and Ukraine had discussed all aspects of a possible settlement at the talks in Abu Dhabi. “Everything was discussed. None of the parties avoided the discussion. We did not leave any issue outside the scope of the discussion. No one had to be pushed. There was a tremendous sense of respect in the room because they were genuinely looking for solutions,” the publication quotes a source as saying.
Axios reports that among other things during the talks in the UAE capital the parties discussed matters related to the territories and control over the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant as well as possible de-escalation measures on both sides.
Axios sources believe that the meeting in Abu Dhabi was an important step towards a possible meeting between Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky. “If the next trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi is more successful, it could lead to a meeting between the parties in Moscow or Kyiv. It is something that has not happened in many years,” the publication noted. Its American source is convinced that it may happen in the near future.
Another major American mass media outlet, Politico, shared its information. Citing U.S. officials, its journalists reported that Moscow is proposing to divide the electricity generated by the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant between Ukraine and Russia.
What did UAE officials say about the negotiations on Ukraine?
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the trilateral talks between the delegations of Russia, the USA, and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi proceeded in a constructive and positive atmosphere.
“On Friday and Saturday trilateral consultations between representatives of the USA, Russia, and Ukraine took place in Abu Dhabi as part of the efforts to promote a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis. The discussions took place in a constructive and positive atmosphere and included direct contact between representatives of the Russian Federation and Ukraine regarding unresolved elements of the peace settlement framework proposed by the United States. They also discussed the confidence-building measures aimed at supporting progress towards a comprehensive agreement,” the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Those who had expected global decisions from the talks in Abu Dhabi were probably disappointed. But the nature of the official statements, journalists’ observations, and the insider information they have got suggest that things have moved forward. At least, one would like to hope so. Before reaching significant and long-awaited agreements, it is important to find mutually acceptable solutions on all issues. And there can be no minor details in the process. Finding a compromise even on seemingly insignificant issues is already a big deal. It seems impossible, but the new format of negotiations seems to be the most optimal and effective way to resolve the conflict.
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