Ukraine and Russia concluded a second day of US-led talks in Abu Dhabi on Thursday without a breakthrough towards ending Europe's most deadly conflict since the Second World War. The discussions, which lasted three hours, followed a five-and-a-half-hour round on Wednesday.
The two sides agreed to a reciprocal exchange of 157 prisoners of war each, offering a rare concrete outcome from the negotiations. However, Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump's special envoy involved in the talks, cautioned that “significant work remains” in the weeks ahead, dampening expectations of any swift move towards peace.
Even so, the meetings marked the most substantive engagement between senior delegations from Kyiv and Moscow in months, pointing to a tentative revival of diplomatic efforts nearly four years into the war. Both sides sent senior military and intelligence officials to the UAE capital, signalling a more serious approach than during previous rounds.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's presidential office, described the trilateral negotiations as “genuinely constructive”, thanking the US and UAE for mediating. Russia's representative, Kirill Dmitriev, said there had been progress and “forward movement” in discussions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later said peace talks would continue soon.
Despite the positive tone, prospects for a viable peace settlement remain uncertain. Moscow continues to push maximalist territorial demands, insisting Ukraine must cede the entire eastern Donbas region, including areas under Ukrainian control. Kyiv has rejected those terms, arguing for a ceasefire along the current frontline and ruling out unilateral withdrawal.
A central question is whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to compromise. While Moscow's advances on the battlefield have slowed due to freezing temperatures and stiff Ukrainian resistance, Russia has sustained strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, causing widespread blackouts.
