Abu Dhabi hosted another round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, where territorial issues took centre stage during the two-day meeting. Russian, Ukrainian, and American delegations took part, with the United States acting as a mediator in efforts to settle a war that has been ongoing for nearly four years.
The U.S.-mediated discussions aim to move toward a comprehensive settlement, although Moscow and Kyiv’s positions remain far apart.
In the early hours of Saturday, January 25th Russia launched a large-scale drone and missile attack on Ukraine’s largest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv, coinciding with the second day of the Abu Dhabi negotiations. Ukrainian officials reported that 396 UAVs and missiles were deployed in what Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga called “another night of Russian terror.” The strikes caused widespread power, heating, and water outages, killed one person, injured at least 15, and set multiple buildings on fire. Despite the attacks, the talks continued.
Ukraine has repeatedly emphasised that the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable, while Moscow views the status of the occupied territories as a central issue. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky described the talks as “constructive,” saying they focused on “possible parameters” for ending the war. He also said he remains open to the idea of creating a free-trade zone in eastern Ukraine under Kyiv’s control.
Russia released few details about the meeting, referring to it only as a “working group on security issues.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from eastern Donbas remains an “important condition” for Moscow.
Friday January 23rd saw the first known instance of Trump administration officials holding simultaneous talks with Ukrainian and Russian negotiators. Analysts say that while no breakthrough was achieved, the fact that direct talks are taking place is already a step forward, with further negotiations expected next week.
