Talks in Abu Dhabi end with plans for next round – Zelensky calls meeting 'constructive'

Two days of closed-door talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US ended in Abu Dhabi, with President Volodymyr Zelensky calling the negotiations "constructive" - ​​even as Kiev accused Moscow of undermining diplomacy with deadly new attacks on Ukrainian cities.

The first direct Ukraine-Russia talks under the US-led peace plan took place on Friday and Saturday, with each side testing the waters and presenting what it considers acceptable terms to end one of Europe's bloodiest wars since World War II.

Zelensky said the discussions focused on "possible parameters for ending the war," with all sides agreeing on the need for U.S. oversight to ensure real security.

"I greatly appreciate the understanding that American monitoring and control are necessary in the process of ending the war and ensuring real security," he wrote on Telegram.

He added that the parties agreed to inform their capitals on all aspects of the talks and coordinate further steps with national leaders.

The third round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the US will continue in Abu Dhabi next week, a source familiar with the discussions told AFP on Saturday.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the continuation of the talks after an Emirati official described the second round of talks as being held in a "constructive and positive atmosphere."

An unidentified Ukrainian official reiterated this information in a conversation with Axios journalist Barak Ravid. The source said the talks in Abu Dhabi were “positive” and “constructive” and added that another round of negotiations is expected in the United Arab Emirates next week.

Russia's state news agency TASS, citing a source, said the talks produced results, but did not provide details.

The Kiev delegation was led by Ruston Umerov – a veteran negotiator in talks with Moscow – along with the head of the Presidential Office and former intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, negotiator David Arakhamia and Chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov, among others.

The Russian delegation was led by Igor Kostyukov, head of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence agency. The investigative portal Agentstvo reported that Alexander Zorin, the GRU's first deputy director for intelligence, was also part of the Russian negotiating team.

Kiev shaken by rocket barrage during talks

As negotiators met for a second day on Saturday, Ukraine accused Russia of sabotaging peace efforts by launching one of its heaviest attacks in months.

"Peace efforts? Trilateral meeting in the United Arab Emirates? Diplomacy? For Ukrainians, this was another night of Russian terror," said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiya.

Sybiha commented that Russian President Vladimir Putin “ordered a brutal massive missile strike against Ukraine just as delegations are meeting in Abu Dhabi to advance the American-led peace process. His missiles are not only hitting our people, but also the negotiating table.”

An overnight sandstorm hit Kiev's power infrastructure, killing one person and injuring at least 22 in Kiev and Kharkiv, Ukrainian officials said. Energy company DTEK said the attacks temporarily cut power to about 88,000 households in the capital.

The attacks came amid Kiev's worst winter energy crisis since Russia's full-scale occupation, which began nearly four years ago, with power outages, water and heating shortages, and repeated attacks on the power grid, leaving large parts of the city in the dark.

Donbass: the main issue?

Ahead of the talks in Abu Dhabi, Moscow reiterated that taking over Ukraine's Donbass – referring to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions – is a prerequisite for engaging in peace talks.

After the first round of talks on Friday, Russian state media said the delegations discussed "buffer zones, various control mechanisms."

"Yes, of course, these aspects: buffer zones, various control mechanisms, are discussed at the meeting along with other important topics," the unidentified source said.

The idea of ​​a "buffer zone" in eastern Ukraine has been under active discussion since December - under various names.

At the time, President Zelensky said the US had proposed the creation of a “free economic zone” in Donetsk and Luhansk, under which Ukrainian troops would withdraw, while Russia described the same concept as a “demilitarized” zone, according to Zelensky.

Friday's trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi may be the most promising effort yet.

The talks come after multiple rounds of peace efforts during nearly four years of full-scale war (and after the Minsk agreements prior to 2022). While some initiatives yielded limited results, such as prisoner exchanges and the return of abducted children, none achieved a ceasefire as the fighting continued. Here’s a brief summary:

February-March 2022 | Talks in Belarus

The first direct negotiations after Russia's full-scale invasion, held near the Ukrainian-Belarusian border. The talks led to the creation of humanitarian corridors, but otherwise produced no progress.

Denys Kireyev, one of Kiev's negotiators, was later found shot to death after security services accused him of treason; he was later identified as a double agent who had warned Ukrainian authorities of the impending 2022 invasion.

March 2022 | Istanbul Talks

Ukraine presented draft proposals for neutrality and security guarantees. The talks collapsed after revelations of atrocities – particularly in the suburbs outside Kiev – where civilian bodies were found in the streets after Russian troops withdrew.

April-July 2022 | Black Sea Grain Agreement

With the support of the UN and Turkey, Russia and Ukraine agreed in July 2022 to ensure the safe passage of ships carrying grain, easing concerns about rising global food prices after Russia's invasion halted Ukrainian exports to developing countries. Russia withdrew from the agreement in July 2023.

Beginning of 2025 | Ceasefire in Energy and the Black Sea

At the initiative of US President Donald Trump after his return to office, Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle to refrain from attacks on certain energy infrastructure for a limited period of time. Another proposal was also put forward to stop attacks on targets in the Black Sea.

However, the agreements never materialized, as both sides accused each other of violations based on terms that they said were agreed with the US bilaterally, rather than directly between Kiev and Moscow. The lack of a monitoring mechanism also contributed to the failure.

Mid-2025 | Istanbul format resumes

Putin proposed reviving the Istanbul 2022 format after Europe threatened Moscow with an ultimatum of sanctions if it did not adhere to the ceasefire.

Several rounds of talks between Kiev and Moscow followed – sometimes brokered by the US and Turkey – but failed to yield any ceasefire results. Expectations were further dampened after Putin sent a controversial historian instead of a diplomat to represent Russia, who reportedly threatened the Ukrainian side, with prisoner exchanges emerging as the only tangible outcome.

End of 2025 | 28/20 point peace plan

In November 2025, Washington presented Kiev with a 28-point plan, pressuring Ukraine to accept it by Thanksgiving or risk losing US support.

It was later revealed that the plan originated in Moscow, essentially repackaging the Kremlin’s war objectives as “peace terms.” The released recordings reportedly also captured the American Special.

Steve Witkoff training Russian officials on how to present the document to Trump.

After several rounds of discussions between Kiev and Washington, the draft was shortened to 20 points and supplemented with additional documents on security guarantees and Ukraine's post-war recovery. This package now forms the basis of ongoing negotiations.

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