Ukraine war talks begin in UAE as Russia repeats Donbas demand
The Kremlin has reiterated its demand for Kiev to withdraw its forces from the eastern Donbas region for the war to end, coinciding with three-way talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the US in Abu Dhabi.
According to the UAE state news agency WAM, discussions began on Friday and are set to continue for two days in a bid to find political solutions to the crisis.
Kremlin diplomatic adviser Yuri Ushakov confirmed that the first meeting of a trilateral working group on security issues will take place today in Abu Dhabi.
This meeting follows talks at the Kremlin involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, US envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
Ahead of the discussions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Ukraine's armed forces must withdraw from the Donbas region as a condition for peace.
The US has been pushing for a settlement, with representatives of President Donald Trump shuttling between Kiev and Moscow in a flurry of negotiations.
Trump's peace initiative, initially a 28-point plan, has been condensed to a 20-point plan, which asserts that the Russian-speaking Donbas territory will join Russia.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, Witkoff said one key issue remained to be resolved in the negotiations, without saying what it was.
The Ukrainian president has indicated that while the future status of eastern Ukraine remains unresolved, peace proposals are nearly ready.
Both sides have acknowledged territorial issues as vital, with Putin insisting that Ukraine relinquish the 20% it still holds of the eastern Donetsk region.
Additionally, Russia demands that Ukraine abandon its aspirations to join NATO and reject any Western military presence on its soil after a peace deal.
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