Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the US gather in Abu Dhabi for talks to end the war, amid a major Russian missile barrage on Ukraine’s energy grid
ABU DHABI: Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States gathered for talks aimed at advancing efforts to end the four-year war.
The meeting in the Emirati capital follows several failed rounds of diplomacy since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022.
A massive Russian drone and missile barrage on Ukraine’s energy grid preceded the talks, knocking out power and heating in freezing temperatures.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes showed Moscow “continue to bet on war and the destruction of Ukraine”. He stated the work of Ukraine’s negotiating team would be “adjusted accordingly”.
The main sticking point remains the long-term fate of territory in eastern Ukraine. Moscow demands Kyiv pull troops from swathes of the Donbas as a precondition for any deal.
Russia also seeks international recognition for land seized during the invasion. Kyiv has rejected a unilateral pull-back, proposing the conflict be frozen along the current front line.
Ukraine’s delegation is headed by Security Council chief Rustem Umerov. Russia’s top negotiator is military intelligence director Igor Kostyukov.
Russia occupies around 20% of Ukraine and has threatened to take the rest of the Donetsk region if talks fail. Ukraine warns ceding ground will embolden Moscow for future invasions.
Kyiv still controls around one-fifth of the Donetsk region, which includes heavily fortified urban hubs. At the current pace, AFP analysis suggests it would take Russia’s army another 18 months to conquer it all.
The majority of the Ukrainian public opposes a deal that hands Moscow land in exchange for peace. Many find the idea of ceding defended territory unconscionable.
Following a first round of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi last month, some Ukrainians were doubtful any deal could be struck. “I think it’s all just a show for the public,” Kyiv resident Petro told AFP.
