The key facts

  • The talks in Abu Dhabi are proceeding on two tracks: military and political
  • After the UAE, visits by the US envoys to Moscow and Kyiv are possible
  • The main disagreement is control over the Donbas

Talks in Abu Dhabi and the possible next stage

US presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are holding talks on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi and, according to the Axios portal, citing a US official,may after these meetings travel to Moscow and Kyiv for direct talks with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. The plans for possible visits are also reported by Gazeta.Ru.

Two tracks of discussion

According to Axios, the talks in the UAE capital are focused on two tracks. A military working group led by the commander of US European Command, General Alexus Grynkewich, is discussing monitoring the ceasefire in the postwar period and security measures. The political working group is dealing with the territorial issue: Russia demands control over the entire Donbas, while Ukraine insists on dividing the territory along the existing front lines.

Assessments of progress

A source for Axios describes the purpose of the visit as an attempt to “crystallize” decisionsthat Putin and Zelensky will have to make: “Getting the parties back to the negotiating table was not easy, and we, as mediators, see promising signs.” At the same time, according to US officials in private conversations, both sides have in recent weeks “shown some flexibility” on the territorial issue — though this is the mediators' own assessment, not a confirmed position of Moscow or Kyiv. It was previously also reported that the US wants to secure a place for Europe in the Ukraine talks.