Overview
- The trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States began in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday as a two‑day session focused on security guarantees and technical steps toward reducing hostilities.
- U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are leading the American team while Rustem Umerov heads the Ukrainian delegation and Vladimir Medinsky leads Russia’s side, and participants described the first day’s discussions as constructive though cautious.
- Major gaps remain over territory, NATO membership and limits on Ukraine’s military with Moscow insisting on territorial concessions for Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson and Kyiv rejecting any voluntary ceding of land.
- U.S. officials report intensified daily contacts with both capitals and have discussed tools such as staged easing of sanctions tied to compliance, but any formal U.S. security guarantees would require a presidential decision.
- Fighting and intensified strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure continue during the talks, Europe is pressing for a role in any settlement, and negotiators aim to address humanitarian steps like prisoner exchanges and monitoring mechanisms next.