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Laura Gozzi, Abdujalil Abdulaslov (Kiv)
High-level talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States aimed at ending the war in Ukraine began on the 10th in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The talks are scheduled to last two days.
The talks lasted for four hours. Ukrainian and Russian officials did not speak after the meeting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy did not attend, but at a press conference in Copenhagen, where he was visiting, he described the talks as "constructive and quite substantive."
Zelenskiy also explained that humanitarian issues such as prisoner exchanges were also discussed. When asked about the negotiating stance of the United States, which acts as a mediator, he said, ``I'm seeing a change. I'm very happy to hear what I'm hearing.''
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said his visit to Paris was "very productive."
There are low hopes that the talks will end Russia's all-out war with Ukraine. Still, ahead of the meeting, U.S. officials said Russia and Ukraine had privately shown "some flexibility" over post-war scenarios about who would control eastern Ukraine.
The US also consults with European officials
The first day began with Jared Kushner, the husband of US President Donald Trump's daughter, saying that his country had "narrowed the gap" between Russia and Ukraine, without providing specifics. He said he hoped to get closer to "a solution to end the war."
Kushner said before the talks began that they would focus on addressing the "postwar security concerns" of both Russia and Ukraine.
In addition to the talks, Kushner and the Trump administration's special peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, also met with Ukrainian, European and NATO officials.
European leaders have so far been largely excluded from peace talks. They are concerned that decisions regarding continental European security are being made without them, and have called for participation in the talks.
The United States appears to support this European stance. Rubio said in Paris that Europe is also "part of the long-term solution to this problem."
However, according to a US official, ``Russia is displeased with Europe.''
Some proposals supported by the European Union (EU) have been regularly rejected by Russia, such as calling for an unconditional ceasefire as a prerequisite for peace talks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on the 10th that a ceasefire would only give Ukraine an opportunity to regroup: "We do not agree to it."
The gap between Russia and Ukraine
Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on ending the war.
One of the main points of disagreement is the treatment of Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. Russia currently occupies most of the state.
Russia is demanding that Ukraine renounce the areas it continues to occupy in the region. Ukraine, for its part, says the areas are critical to its future security and has called for a freeze on the border between the two powers to keep them under its control.
Neither Russia nor Ukraine have signaled any concessions on these demands, but a U.S. official said on the eve of the talks that those positions were only public and that both countries were showing "some flexibility, privately."
However, the official also said, "Until [both countries] figure out what their post-war security arrangements will be, they will not be able to resolve the Donetsk issue and the territorial issue," adding, "And we must remember that we cannot resolve just one or the other."
For Ukraine, a post-war "security arrangement" could include guarantees that friendly countries will support it if it is attacked again. For Russia, on the other hand, it may be possible to realize its long-held desire to withdraw NATO from Eastern Europe. This is a worrying situation for European countries.
The currently proposed security framework includes dialogue, the establishment of a crisis hotline and "mutual de-escalation measures." Officials also mentioned resuming the NATO-Russia Security Council, which has been largely suspended since 2022.
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The previous trilateral talks, held in Geneva in February, ended without any progress. Shortly thereafter, the United States and Israel went to war with Iran, and America's attention shifted away from Ukraine. No new talks have been held since then.
Mr. Trump, who had boasted that he could end the war in Ukraine in a day, has led several talks toward an end since the beginning of his second term, but little has been achieved.
Against this backdrop, Mr. Trump is increasingly taking a conciliatory stance toward Russia. Ukraine and European countries are deeply concerned about this.
After meeting with Kirill Dmitriev, special envoy from the Kremlin, at the White House last week, Trump emphasized that a "big, great deal" regarding Ukraine "could involve the whole of Europe" was coming soon.
Many people in Ukraine are skeptical that the latest talks will lead to a fair peace.
Oleksandr Merezhko, head of Ukraine's parliamentary foreign affairs committee, told the BBC that Trump wanted a "quick deal at Ukraine's expense" and that Ukraine would undoubtedly reject it.
He said the only way to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to start serious negotiations was to put more pressure on Russia through sanctions and strong attacks.
In a post on X on the 9th, Mr. Kushner expressed a cautious view that the talks would only serve to "build momentum for the next stage of negotiations."
"This is an extremely difficult and complex conflict," Kushner wrote, adding that the United States "approaches these negotiations with determination and pragmatism."
(English article: First day of Ukraine peace talks constructive, Zelensky says)
