Abu Dhabi: second day of closed negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the USA

The second day of negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the USA has started in Abu Dhabi. This was reported by several media sources. The meetings are held in various formats and remain as closed as possible — as before, without public comments from the parties and leaks about the content of the discussions.

The negotiation platform in Abu Dhabi became the site of the first known face-to-face meeting of representatives from Russia, Ukraine, and USA since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. The very fact of such a format gives the negotiations special weight — against the backdrop of ongoing hostilities and the absence of direct dialogue in previous years.

Context of the negotiations

The key background of the meeting is the current situation on the ground. Russia continues to occupy about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, recognized by international law as part of a sovereign state. This includes almost the entire Luhansk region, as well as significant parts of the Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

These territories remain one of the main points of tension for both Kyiv and Ukraine’s international partners. Any negotiations in such a context inevitably hinge on the issue of control, security, and the future of these regions.

Moscow’s position

Among Russia’s long-standing demands is the transfer to Ukraine of all territories of the four regions that were declared annexed but not fully captured. This demand is regularly voiced by the Russian side and is considered one of the most rigid and principled points of its position.

This aspect creates a serious gap between the approaches of the parties. For Ukraine and its allies, such conditions are unacceptable, as they would mean a renunciation of territorial integrity and the legitimization of annexation.

Complex angles of the negotiations

One of the key hindering factors remains the issue of formal recognition of the annexed territories. Western countries, including the USA, consistently declare support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, which directly affects the framework of possible agreements.

Diplomatic circles note that the negotiations in Abu Dhabi currently resemble more of a probing of positions than a movement towards concrete agreements. The format of closed meetings allows the parties to clarify “red lines” without taking on public commitments.

What’s next

Participants in the process emphasize that further steps will depend on the parties’ willingness to discuss security issues and a ceasefire without abandoning basic principles. For now, the negotiations remain cautious, fragmented, and devoid of visible breakthroughs.

At this stage, the very fact of continued contacts is seen as a signal — but not as a guarantee of results. In the conditions of ongoing war, diplomacy moves slowly, and every word behind closed doors has a price. It is in this context that the second day of negotiations is developing, closely watched by international observers and recorded by NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency.