In the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, trilateral negotiations are taking place involving representatives from Ukraine, the USA, and Russia. The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, reported on key aspects of the discussions, which focus on the parameters for ending the Russian-Ukrainian war and the further logic of the peace process. According to him, the next round of meetings is scheduled for January 24, during which Chief of the General Staff General Andriy Hnatov and Deputy Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Lieutenant General Vadym Skibitsky, will join.
This is reported by Kyiv24
The Ukrainian Delegation Operates According to Presidential Mandates
Rustem Umerov emphasized that the Ukrainian team is working cohesively within the tasks defined by the head of state. At the end of each stage of the negotiations, delegation representatives inform President Volodymyr Zelensky. Umerov also noted the Ukrainian side’s readiness to engage in dialogue in various formats, depending on the progress of the negotiations.
“The Ukrainian team operates cohesively within the tasks set by President Zelensky. We are ready to work in various formats depending on the course of the dialogue,” Umerov stated.
Positions of the Parties and Key Issues of the Negotiations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed in an evening address that the parameters for ending the war are being discussed in the negotiations; however, he stated that it is still too early to draw definitive conclusions about the content of the talks. Zelensky clarified that for peace to be achieved, Russia must be willing to end the war it started, and he emphasized the clear positions of the Ukrainian side. The Ukrainian delegation, which includes Rustem Umerov, Kyrylo Budanov, Davyd Arakhamia, and Serhiy Kyslytsia, is in constant communication with the president, and General Hnatov and representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate Skibitsky will join the next meetings.
Zelensky also noted that it is premature to summarize the results of the negotiations, as it is important for the desire to achieve peace to be present not only in Ukraine but also in Russia. One of the main topics of the meetings is the issue of Donbas, which, according to the president, remains key in the negotiations in Abu Dhabi, which will last for two days – January 23 and 24.
According to the Financial Times, during the trilateral meeting, Ukraine and the USA are proposing to Russia to cease strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in exchange for stopping attacks on oil refineries and tankers of the so-called “shadow fleet.” There has been no official confirmation of this information yet.
The Russian side, through presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, stated that achieving a long-term settlement is impossible without resolving the “territorial issue” in accordance with the so-called “Anchorage formula.” The Kremlin clarified that this refers to the demand for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the territory of Donbas, although the details of the “Anchorage formula” have not been disclosed.
President Zelensky previously emphasized that the issue of territorial decisions should be resolved by the people of Ukraine – either through elections or a referendum. In response, Yuri Ushakov stated that “the entire Donbas is Russian.” Currently, part of Donbas remains under the control of Ukrainian military forces, and fierce fighting continues along the front line.