ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates | Russian and Ukrainian delegations held nearly four hours of US-mediated peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, November 10, as Washington renewed efforts to end the war, but deep disagreements over territory, security guarantees and the future of Ukraine’s relationship with NATO continued to obstruct a settlement.
The two-day negotiations, the first trilateral meeting since February, brought together US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, with Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky and Ukraine’s delegation led by Rustem Umerov. The talks are scheduled to resume on Wednesday, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service.
Kushner said Washington saw possible ways to bridge differences between the two countries and aimed to build on previous diplomatic efforts. US officials said discussions included postwar security arrangements, de-escalation and broader European security. No immediate agreement or breakthrough was announced after the opening session.
The main obstacle remains the opposing positions of Moscow and Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw its forces from four regions claimed by Russia, abandon its bid to join NATO and accept restrictions on its military. Moscow also wants a broader European security framework addressed before resolving the specific terms of the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected territorial concessions and limits on his country’s armed forces, arguing that strong security guarantees are necessary to prevent another Russian invasion. Kyiv has called for a ceasefire as the first step toward a wider settlement. Ukraine also maintains that territorial questions should be resolved directly by the two countries’ leaders.
European officials are seeking a greater role in the peace process. Before the trilateral meeting, the Ukrainian delegation held separate discussions with representatives from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, NATO and the European Commission. Russia has opposed their direct participation in the negotiations, although Moscow has indicated that European representatives could be involved at a later stage.
The diplomatic effort is unfolding as fighting continues. Reuters reported that Russian attacks overnight struck several Ukrainian regions and damaged electrical infrastructure, while Ukrainian drone operations also targeted facilities inside Russia. Both sides have continued long-range strikes despite renewed negotiations, with no indication of a broader halt in hostilities.
The current conflict traces its roots to 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea following a referendum that Ukraine and much of the international community rejected. In March that year, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 68/262, affirming Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and declaring the referendum invalid as a basis for changing Crimea’s status.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. On March 2 that year, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution ES-11/1, deploring Russia’s aggression and demanding the withdrawal of its forces from Ukrainian territory. The resolution was approved by 141 member states.
The Abu Dhabi talks represent another attempt to find a negotiated end to a war that has caused extensive military and civilian casualties, displaced millions and disrupted regional and global security. Whether the renewed US-led effort can narrow the differences between Moscow and Kyiv remains uncertain.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
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