ABU DHABI: Ukrainian and Russian negotiators opened a second round of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, aiming to advance efforts to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
The two-day trilateral meetings include representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States.
Ukraine’s top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, announced on Telegram that the talks had begun in a trilateral format with US officials acting as mediators.
“Another round of negotiations has begun in Abu Dhabi,” he said.
Separate group discussions are scheduled later, followed by joint meetings to coordinate positions.
Photographs released by the United Arab Emirates’ foreign ministry showed the delegations seated around a U-shaped table, with US officials, including special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, at the centre.
Major disputes in talks
Despite repeated US efforts, Kyiv and Moscow remain far apart on major issues.
Russia demands that Ukraine withdraw troops from parts of the Donetsk region.
Ukraine has rejected any unilateral pullback and insists the conflict should remain frozen along current front lines.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian troops would continue fighting until Kyiv made decisions that could end the war.
Russia currently controls roughly 20 percent of Ukraine, including Crimea and parts of Donbas seized before the war started in February 2022.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told Liga online that Russia was paying a heavy price for small territorial gains, saying, “Russia is not winning its war against Ukraine.”
The first round of talks, held in the UAE last month, marked the first direct public negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
Xi, Putin talks
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a video call on Wednesday, ahead of the fourth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Kremlin said Xi, who supports the Abu Dhabi talks, invited Putin to China in the coming months.
Russia has warned it could take the rest of Donetsk if talks fail.
Analysts, cited by Reuters, suggest it would take Moscow another 18 months to capture the remaining Ukrainian-controlled areas, which include heavily fortified cities.
Ukraine still controls roughly one-fifth of Donetsk, while Russia holds pockets of territory in Lugansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and other eastern regions.
The talks underscore the persistent deadlock between Kyiv and Moscow. Ukraine is pressing Western allies for weapons and political support.
The second round of Abu Dhabi talks is scheduled to continue through Thursday.
