Trilateral negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States concluded in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday after two days of intense discussions aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. While American officials hinted at "some openings," no significant breakthroughs were announced to halt the nearly five-year conflict that began with Russia's full-scale invasion.
Davyd Arakhamia, a member of Ukraine's negotiating team, described the round as "one of the hardest" since talks first began. "I believe the Russians came with very strict directives, so it was extremely difficult to soften the discussion," he said. Despite the tough exchanges, Arakhamia noted "good momentum" and called for a second round to be organized promptly.
Prisoner Exchange in the Works
Both Moscow and Kyiv confirmed that a large-scale prisoner of war exchange is being prepared and could take place soon. The development offers a rare point of agreement amid otherwise difficult negotiations.
Following the talks, it was announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, will travel to Moscow on Thursday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and then to Dublin to speak with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky.
Focus on Post-War Security Architecture
This latest round was framed around the "security architecture" of Europe. For Kyiv, this means assurances that allies will come to its defense if Ukraine is attacked again, despite not being a NATO member. For Moscow, it likely involves limiting NATO's influence in Eastern Europe, a central concern for the Kremlin since the alliance's eastward expansion.
Earlier this week, Kushner said the US hopes to "create a new framework" of security between Ukraine, Russia, and Europe that could "secure lasting peace." Kremlin negotiator Vladimir Medinsky echoed the need for a "new" and "fair" security system.
Ukraine and Europe have long been wary of the current US administration's commitment to European security and its perceived softening toward the Kremlin. Representatives from Britain, NATO, and various EU countries were also in Abu Dhabi and met with US and Ukrainian negotiators. However, the Kremlin, with whom the EU does not officially communicate, said its delegation had no contact with them.
Moscow has been dismissive of European involvement, though Europeans argue they are central to any post-war dynamics on the continent. "Agreements cannot be implemented if no consensus can be reached among NATO members," a German government spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Kushner said the US is keen to bring the Europeans on board and that getting them "added to the format" would be on the agenda for his talks with Putin.
Disagreement Over Ceasefire Sequencing
There is also disagreement on whether discussions on a future security framework should be preceded by a ceasefire, as the Europeans and Kyiv would want, or whether the fighting only stops after an agreement has been reached, as the Kremlin has insisted.
Any agreement on a peacetime security framework, however, is contingent on the war ending, Kushner noted. But that cannot occur "until there's an agreement on territory and on all other bilateral issues," he added.
Since talks began last year, a core obstacle to any settlement has been Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk, which is mostly occupied by Russia. Moscow has demanded that Ukraine relinquish the parts of Donetsk it still holds, while Kyiv wants to freeze the contact line to maintain control over those areas.
Kushner acknowledged that this matter was the "hardest," while Zelensky's chief of staff and negotiator Kyrylo Budanov refused to be drawn on whether Russia was still demanding a Ukrainian withdrawal from the region.
"These deals are very hard and complex, and this one is very emotional, very complex," Kushner said. "The reality is there is no trust right now between the sides and that is to be expected after a conflict like this."
