The key facts
- Trilateral talks between the US, Russia and Ukraine begin on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, the first such meetings since February
- The American delegation will be led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner; before the talks, meetings with Ukraine, the EU, NATO and several European countries are planned
- Kyiv insists on guarantees against new aggression and rules out ceding territory, while Moscow demands major territorial concessions
Format and agenda of the talks
Two-day trilateral talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine — the first since February — are to begin on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, with European partners joining in. According to The National, the discussion will centre on security guarantees, as well as de-escalation, humanitarian measures and the prospects of a broader settlement. The American delegation will be led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law.
The parties' positions and scepticism
Before the talks, American officials plan to meet with representatives of Ukraine, the EU, NATO, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy. One US official told journalists that security guarantees and a 'long-term security architecture between Russia and Europe' are being discussed, and expressed hope for 'serious progress' in ending the war. The Europeans are to be brought in after the trilateral stage, so that the discussions proceed on parallel tracks.
Obstacles to a breakthrough
Despite the American side's optimism, the prospects for a breakthrough remain uncertain. Moscow and Kyiv continue to strike each other's energy facilities; Russia demands major territorial concessions from Ukraine, while Kyiv insists on strong guarantees against future aggression and rules out ceding territory. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that she sees little sign of Russia being ready to negotiate an end to the war. Trump himself, in a 60 Minutes interview, said that in his view a deal is close, and that Ukraine will ultimately be 'a little bit different shape'.
Criticism and expert assessments
Daniel Fried, former US assistant secretary of state for Europe, believes the White House continues to offer Russia concessions at Ukraine's and possibly Europe's expense, with no evidence of Moscow's interest in negotiating on any other terms. Hudson Institute expert Matthew Boyce noted that, in his assessment, Putin considers himself in an advantageous position: after the Republican Party's defeat in the midterm elections in Congress, Moscow sees Trump as politically weakened and eager for a diplomatic victory. According to Boyce, previous rounds of talks produced humanitarian results — prisoner exchanges and the return of Ukrainian children — but did not advance a resolution of the fundamental disagreements.
