Russia has announced it will take part in security talks with the United States and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on Friday. The Kremlin warned that lasting peace cannot be achieved unless territorial disputes are resolved.
The announcement followed a late-night meeting between President Vladimir Putin and three US envoys, which lasted approximately four hours. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov described the talks as “substantive, constructive, and very frank.”
For the Abu Dhabi talks, Russia will be represented by Admiral Igor Kostyukov, who will lead security discussions. Investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev will meet separately with US envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss economic issues.
While the talks outlined potential next steps, no major breakthrough was reported. Ushakov emphasized that without resolving the territorial issue, a long-term settlement remains unlikely. He referred to the framework agreed upon during the Trump-Putin summit in Anchorage last year.
Ushakov stated that President Putin is “sincerely interested” in a diplomatic solution. However, he added that Russia will continue its military objectives until the territorial issues are resolved. Russian forces still hold the strategic initiative on the battlefield.
Ukraine is facing its harshest winter of the war, as Russia continues heavy missile and drone attacks on energy infrastructure. Many cities, including Kyiv, have suffered long power outages, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without heating in freezing temperatures.
On the US side, the delegation includes Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Josh Gruenbaum, newly appointed as a senior adviser to Trump’s Board of Peace. The talks are part of efforts to mediate an end to the conflict, now entering its fourth year.
A key obstacle is territorial control. Russia demands Ukraine surrender the 20% of Donetsk it still holds and renounce NATO membership. Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy has rejected these terms but confirmed that security guarantees have been discussed with the US.
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Ushakov praised the Americans for organizing the Abu Dhabi talks. He expressed hope that the meeting could open the way for progress on ending the conflict and achieving a peace agreement.
