Russia-Ukraine peace talks show progress, but territorial disputes and distrust persist

ABU DHABI: Russia and Ukraine have reported limited progress following two days of US-mediated peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi although deep divisions over territorial claims and a lack of mutual trust continue to complicate efforts to end the war.

ABU DHABI: Russia and Ukraine have reported limited progress following two days of US-mediated peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi although deep divisions over territorial claims and a lack of mutual trust continue to complicate efforts to end the war.

The talks, which marked the first direct peace discussions between the two sides in nine months, concluded on Wednesday with an agreement on a major prisoner-of-war exchange. However, negotiators announced few other concrete outcomes while key disagreements remained unresolved.

US envoy Jared Kushner who is also the son-in-law of President Donald Trump described the discussions as a constructive step. He said American mediators were working to identify common interests and believed a possible route towards peace could still be found.

However, Kushner acknowledged that neither side currently trusted the other describing the situation as an expected consequence of the prolonged conflict. He said territorial questions remained among the most difficult issues, although some areas offered opportunities for compromise.

One of the central obstacles is Russia’s demand that Ukraine surrender the remaining parts of the eastern Donbas region under Kyiv’s control. Ukraine has rejected the demand, and there has been no public indication that Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to withdraw it.

Kushner and fellow US envoy Steve Witkoff are scheduled to travel to Moscow on Thursday for discussions with Putin. They also intend to raise the possibility of including European representatives in future negotiations. After their Moscow visit, the US envoys are expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a trip to Ireland.

Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia described the discussions as difficult but said they had created positive momentum. He called for future negotiations to include European officials, arguing that the process should become multilateral.

Russia’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, confirmed that some understanding had been reached but expressed reservations about European countries joining the talks. Moscow’s delegation declined to meet European and NATO representatives who were also in Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile, military activity continued during the negotiations. Ukrainian officials reported Russian strikes on electricity infrastructure and a market in the Odesa region that killed three people. Russian authorities also reported one fatality following a Ukrainian drone attack in the Belgorod region.

Despite diplomatic efforts the battlefield situation and disagreements over European security arrangements remain major challenges. Russia continues to control roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory while European governments are pressing for a ceasefire before broader discussions about regional security.