US Envoy Calls Abu Dhabi Ukraine Peace Talks Constructive and Detailed
The US Special Presidential Envoy for Ukraine peace negotiations described the trilateral talks held in Abu Dhabi between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine as extensive and constructive, with plans to continue in the coming weeks.
Steve Witkoff, referring to the ongoing negotiation process, said he expects further progress toward resolving the Ukraine crisis in the weeks ahead. However, he noted that despite the steps taken, much work remains to reach a final agreement.
Witkoff also added that during the trilateral meeting, all parties agreed to exchange 314 prisoners, an initiative seen as a confidence-building measure in the negotiation process.
The second round of trilateral Ukraine peace talks took place on Wednesday and Thursday in Abu Dhabi. The first working group meeting had been held on Friday and Saturday prior, during which representatives from all three sides held closed sessions to discuss contentious issues related to the US-proposed plan.
Meanwhile, some foreign media have reported details of the US initiative, which reportedly includes stabilizing contact lines, determining the status of eastern Ukrainian regions such as Donbas and Crimea, reducing Ukraine’s military capability, and banning the deployment of foreign troops and long-range weapons on Ukrainian soil.
Amid these developments, the Kremlin previously emphasized that sustainable peace cannot be achieved without resolving territorial issues based on agreed frameworks. Moscow considers the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donbas region a fundamental prerequisite for any final agreement.
