US-led peace talks between Ukraine and Russia kicked off in Abu Dhabi with a "productive" first day, offering a glimmer of hope for an end to the four-year conflict. Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov described the discussions as "substantive and productive", focused on concrete steps and practical solutions.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, remains cautiously optimistic, but urged his partners to apply more pressure on Moscow to ensure real progress. He warned that Ukraine will not be swayed by empty promises and emphasized the need for tangible results.
The US delegation, led by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, has become a familiar presence in diplomatic circles, having navigated sensitive talks on Middle East conflicts, Iran crises, and now the Ukraine war. However, their lack of formal diplomatic experience has drawn criticism from some quarters.
Moscow's maximalist territorial demands remain unchanged, with the Kremlin insisting that any settlement include Ukraine ceding the entire eastern Donbas region. Kyiv, however, rejects such terms, insisting on a ceasefire along the current frontline and rejecting unilateral withdrawal of its forces.
A crucial obstacle to a deal is Moscow's refusal to tolerate European troops on Ukrainian soil, a condition essential for credible security guarantees. The US Secretary General, Mark Rutte, has proposed deploying European allies to Ukraine once a deal is reached, but Russia has so far rejected this proposal flatly.
As negotiations resume, the Kremlin remains resolute in its stance, with Dmitry Peskov stating that Russian forces will continue fighting until Kyiv makes decisions that can bring the war to an end. Meanwhile, China's President Xi Jinping has hailed the strength of bilateral ties with Putin, as Beijing steps up trade and purchases of Russian oil.
The second round of talks was initially scheduled for Sunday but was postponed due to rising tensions in the region over Iran. With the prospects for a viable peace deal remaining unclear, it remains to be seen whether the Abu Dhabi talks will yield tangible progress or simply paper over deeper differences.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, remains cautiously optimistic, but urged his partners to apply more pressure on Moscow to ensure real progress. He warned that Ukraine will not be swayed by empty promises and emphasized the need for tangible results.
The US delegation, led by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, has become a familiar presence in diplomatic circles, having navigated sensitive talks on Middle East conflicts, Iran crises, and now the Ukraine war. However, their lack of formal diplomatic experience has drawn criticism from some quarters.
Moscow's maximalist territorial demands remain unchanged, with the Kremlin insisting that any settlement include Ukraine ceding the entire eastern Donbas region. Kyiv, however, rejects such terms, insisting on a ceasefire along the current frontline and rejecting unilateral withdrawal of its forces.
A crucial obstacle to a deal is Moscow's refusal to tolerate European troops on Ukrainian soil, a condition essential for credible security guarantees. The US Secretary General, Mark Rutte, has proposed deploying European allies to Ukraine once a deal is reached, but Russia has so far rejected this proposal flatly.
As negotiations resume, the Kremlin remains resolute in its stance, with Dmitry Peskov stating that Russian forces will continue fighting until Kyiv makes decisions that can bring the war to an end. Meanwhile, China's President Xi Jinping has hailed the strength of bilateral ties with Putin, as Beijing steps up trade and purchases of Russian oil.
The second round of talks was initially scheduled for Sunday but was postponed due to rising tensions in the region over Iran. With the prospects for a viable peace deal remaining unclear, it remains to be seen whether the Abu Dhabi talks will yield tangible progress or simply paper over deeper differences.
. It's crazy how things have escalated over the years. Remember when Putin was just a young dude and everyone thought he'd be a reformer? 
Now, it's all about territorial control and who's got the biggest stick. I mean, I get why the US is tryin' to broker peace talks and all, but at the same time, you can't help but wonder if anyone's really listenin' to each other 
. Russia's being super tough on the Donbas region, but Ukraine ain't gonna back down without a fight 
. And what's with China gettin' involved in all this? They're just oilin' up for more gains, if you ask me 
️. I'm still hopeful that some kinda peace deal can happen, but it's gotta be real progress, not just some empty promises 
.
meanwhile, the US is trying to broker peace but their team ain't exactly the most diplomatic duo 
Kushner and Witkoff? more like Kush-Wit fail 
️ guess we'll just have to wait and see if these talks actually pan out 
And they're trying to talk their way out of it with all these fancy talks in Abu Dhabi 
. I mean, I get that everyone wants peace and all, but can't we just have a ceasefire already?! 
... and Ukraine's like, "Uh no, not gonna happen 
" because they want their own security guarantees 
. And then there's this thing about European troops on Ukrainian soil 
... like, how does that even work? 
. I don't know, man... it seems like we'll be talking about this for a long time 
. Can we please just get some actual progress here?! 
and meanwhile china is over here being besties with russia 
, but at the same time i don't want to get my hopes up only to be disappointed again 