Abu Dhabi Talks Test New U.S. Diplomacy

Negotiators from the United States, Russia, and Ukraine concluded their first three-way meeting in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday after nearly four hours of discussion.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and envoy Steve Witkoff led the American effort to broker a settlement for the conflict that has persisted since Moscow’s 2022 invasion. The two-day session marks the first direct trilateral talks since February, following three earlier rounds this year that yielded no major breakthroughs.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the sessions as constructive and substantive. Speaking from the University of Copenhagen, he stated that the agenda centered on humanitarian concerns, specifically prisoner exchanges and the return of Ukrainian civilians and children held in captivity. He also noted that the parties discussed security guarantees for Ukraine.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized the talks as very productive during a speech in Paris. He acknowledged that substantial work remains to bridge the gap between the two sides. Kushner expressed confidence that the team possesses good ideas to reconcile differences, aiming to create a new framework that builds on past institutions and leads to decades of peace.

The diplomatic push occurs against a backdrop of intensified military pressure. As winter approaches, Russia has increased strikes on Ukraine’s power grid, seeking to weaken civilian morale. Overnight, Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 162 drones and a ballistic missile at the country. In response, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that its forces downed 155 Ukrainian drones across eight regions and over the Crimean Peninsula.

Western leaders have adopted a cautious stance regarding the outcomes. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told ZDF television on Monday that he did not hold overly high expectations for the meeting. Meanwhile, NATO commander U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, who attended the talks, pointed to past progress in military-to-military dialogues. He said the U.S. delegation looks forward to advancing that progress to set foundations for lasting peace.

The underlying positions of Moscow and Kyiv remain largely unchanged. Russian President Vladimir Putin demands that Ukraine withdraw troops from four regions annexed in 2022, abandon its bid to join NATO, and accept strict limits on its military. He also seeks to remove restrictions on the Russian language and the Moscow-affiliated Orthodox Church. Putin has rejected a general halt in hostilities, arguing it would only allow Ukrainian forces to replenish stockpiles.

Zelenskyy rejects the idea of voluntarily ceding territory or accepting military caps. Kyiv views an immediate ceasefire as the necessary first step toward a wider settlement. The Ukrainian leadership maintains that a direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy is the only viable method to resolve territorial disputes, a suggestion Putin has previously dismissed.

The U.S. is also working to expand the scope of the negotiations. Trump declared last week that a grand European security deal is in the works, describing it as a big agreement involving more than Ukraine. Kushner stated on X that a comprehensive settlement will require direct engagement between Russia and European partners. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov welcomed this approach, noting it places collective security at the top of the agenda.

Some European Union members view Washington’s proposals as too accommodating to Moscow. While Russia objected to European involvement in the initial three-way talks, it agreed that EU representatives could join at a later stage. The Ukrainian delegation, led by Foreign Intelligence Service chief Rustem Umerov, included key officials such as Kyrylo Budanov and Davyd Arakhamia. The Russian team was led by Vladimir Medinsky, a Putin aide who has negotiated with Ukraine since 2022.