Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States are meeting in Abu Dhabi in a renewed diplomatic effort to end the war that has devastated Ukraine and shaken Europe’s security for more than four years. The discussions mark the first meeting of this kind in over nine months, raising fresh questions about whether a negotiated settlement is finally within reach.
European nations are watching the talks closely, with growing concerns that decisions affecting the continent’s future could be made without their full involvement. The presence of US President Donald Trump’s administration has added another layer of uncertainty, particularly after Trump suggested that a potential agreement could involve significant territorial changes for Ukraine.
Trump has made ending the Russia-Ukraine war a major foreign policy priority since returning to the White House. However, previous diplomatic efforts have failed to deliver meaningful progress, while the US-Israeli conflict with Iran has further complicated international negotiations.
Ukraine and several European governments fear Washington could pressure Kyiv into accepting an agreement that effectively rewards Russia for its invasion. These concerns have intensified amid perceptions that the Trump administration has become increasingly willing to accommodate Moscow’s position.
The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and displaced millions of people. Despite continued international pressure, Moscow has shown little indication that it is prepared to abandon its military objectives.
Ahead of the Abu Dhabi meeting, Trump suggested that Ukraine might have to accept territorial losses as part of a settlement, saying the country could eventually have a “little bit different shape.”
Russia currently controls substantial parts of Ukrainian territory, but its forces have not managed to capture the entire Donetsk region despite sustained military operations. Moscow continues to demand that Ukraine surrender the remaining areas under its control, threatening to continue its offensive if Kyiv refuses.
Ukraine, which has resisted a much larger invading force at enormous human cost, has repeatedly rejected demands for territorial withdrawal.
Deadly attacks raise concerns ahead of negotiations
The diplomatic discussions are taking place against a backdrop of continued violence. Russian forces intensified attacks on Ukraine shortly before the negotiations, including a deadly strike on a frontline village where civilians were reportedly queuing to receive humanitarian assistance.
Ukrainian authorities said 55 people were killed in the attack, making it one of the deadliest incidents reported in the latest phase of the conflict.
President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of using military pressure to weaken Ukraine’s negotiating position. According to the Ukrainian military, Russia launched 162 drones and one ballistic missile overnight on Tuesday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered the invasion in February 2022, has repeatedly rejected broader ceasefire proposals and direct negotiations with Zelensky.
The Abu Dhabi discussions are being facilitated by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and US special envoy Steve Witkoff. The meeting represents the first gathering of the opposing sides since negotiations held in Geneva in February.
Despite the renewed diplomatic effort, expectations remain limited.
A senior Ukrainian official speaking to AFP said Kyiv was approaching the discussions cautiously, acknowledging that there were no particular expectations of an immediate breakthrough.
The negotiations are expected to address possible pathways towards ending the fighting, although major disagreements over territory, security arrangements and the future of Ukraine remain unresolved.
Europe demands a voice in decisions about its security
European governments are particularly concerned about Trump’s suggestion that a wider agreement could involve the entire continent.
Last week, Trump referred to a potentially significant agreement that would involve Europe, raising concerns that Washington and Moscow might pursue discussions on a new European security framework without sufficient consultation with European allies.
These concerns are rooted in Russia’s longstanding demands regarding NATO’s presence in Eastern Europe. Shortly before launching its full-scale invasion in 2022, Moscow demanded that NATO withdraw military infrastructure and reverse its expansion in the region.
Sergei Ryabkov, the Russian diplomat who previously delivered those demands to Western governments, is joining Moscow’s delegation for the first time. The Russian negotiating team is being led by Vladimir Medinsky, a close aide to Putin known for his nationalist positions.
US envoy Steve Witkoff has indicated that a lasting peace agreement would require direct discussions between Russia and European governments on wider security arrangements.
He also acknowledged that reaching an agreement would involve difficult decisions.
However, European leaders have warned against allowing negotiations to undermine the continent’s security interests.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stressed that Europe does not need an entirely new security architecture and called on Moscow to abandon what he described as maximalist demands.
He also cautioned against turning the Abu Dhabi discussions into a diplomatic performance without meaningful commitments.
Zelensky has similarly warned against what he calls a possible “Yalta 2.0”, referencing the 1945 Yalta Conference, when major Allied powers discussed the post-war division of influence in Europe.
For Ukraine, the concern is clear: decisions about its territory, sovereignty and future security must not be made without its participation.
European representatives join separate discussions
Ukraine’s chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, confirmed that representatives from Britain, France, Germany and Italy, alongside officials from NATO and the European Union, would hold separate discussions with the Ukrainian delegation in Abu Dhabi.
Their involvement reflects Europe’s determination to remain part of conversations that could reshape its political and security landscape.
The Kremlin, which has consistently resisted European participation in direct peace negotiations, maintained that the main discussions would remain trilateral between Russia, Ukraine and the United States.
One potentially encouraging development is a recent ceasefire arrangement in Ukraine’s Kherson region. Ukrainian political expert Volodymyr Fesenko described the agreement as a positive precedent, suggesting that Kyiv could explore similar local arrangements to reduce fighting.
Such limited agreements may offer a practical starting point for reducing violence, even if a comprehensive peace settlement remains distant.
Nevertheless, questions surrounding Russia’s territorial demands, Ukraine’s sovereignty and long-term European security continue to stand in the way of a broader agreement.
Kushner and Witkoff have also faced criticism from observers who believe their approach is too accommodating towards Moscow. US media reports have raised questions about possible business arrangements involving American and Russian interests behind the diplomatic process.
The bigger question: Can diplomacy deliver a lasting peace?
The Abu Dhabi negotiations represent another important attempt to bring an end to a conflict that has reshaped international relations, damaged communities and left millions of people facing uncertainty about their future.
For Ukraine, the challenge is not simply reaching an agreement that stops the fighting. It is securing a settlement that protects its independence, territorial integrity and long-term security.
For Europe, the negotiations carry consequences far beyond Ukraine’s borders. The outcome could influence NATO’s future, regional stability and the relationship between major global powers.
For ordinary Ukrainians, however, the stakes are deeply personal. Families have lost loved ones, homes have been destroyed, communities have been displaced and an entire generation has grown up surrounded by war.
A diplomatic agreement may take time, difficult compromises and sustained international cooperation. But any peace that ignores the people most affected by the conflict risks becoming another temporary pause rather than a lasting solution.
The world is watching Abu Dhabi, not simply for another round of political statements, but for signs that diplomacy can finally deliver what millions of people have been waiting for: a future without war.
