Trilateral peace negotiations involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States have resumed in Abu Dhabi, raising fresh hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the protracted war, following indications that Moscow and Kyiv have privately demonstrated some flexibility over disputed territorial issues.
The renewed diplomatic engagement is aimed at finding a lasting solution to the conflict, which has continued to threaten regional stability and heighten concerns over European security.
A US official disclosed that both countries had shown what was described as “a little bit of flexibility, privately” on the contentious issue of territorial control, particularly over Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, although neither side has publicly abandoned its demands.
According to the official, resolving the territorial dispute would depend largely on reaching an understanding on the security arrangements that would guide relations between the two countries after the war.
Russia is demanding that Ukraine surrender the remaining parts of Donetsk under its control, while Kyiv wants to freeze the current front line to retain the territories, which it considers vital to its future security.
US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who is participating in the American delegation alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff, said the discussions would focus on addressing the postwar security concerns of both countries.
Kushner said an important part of the diplomatic process was encouraging all parties to begin considering the arrangements required after the conflict.
The proposed security framework reportedly includes consultation mechanisms, crisis communication hotlines and reciprocal measures to reduce tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
American officials have also raised the possibility of reactivating the NATO-Russia Council, which has largely remained suspended since 2022.
While Ukraine is seeking security guarantees from its allies, including assurances of assistance in the event of another Russian attack, Moscow has consistently demanded a reduction in NATO’s military presence in Eastern Europe.
The negotiations have also renewed concerns among European leaders about their participation in decisions that could shape the continent’s future security architecture.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said France, Germany and the United Kingdom would be represented in the discussions, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had called for meaningful European participation in negotiations affecting the continent’s security.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has similarly maintained that European countries must have a voice in any agreement affecting their security.
The US official said Washington was proposing an expanded multilateral framework that would accommodate European countries, although securing Russia’s participation could prove challenging.
The latest discussions follow an earlier round of negotiations in Geneva in February, which ended without a breakthrough. The diplomatic process was subsequently disrupted after the US-Israel war on Iran diverted Washington’s attention from the conflict.
Despite renewed efforts by US President Donald Trump to broker an agreement, concerns remain in Kyiv and across Europe over whether any proposed settlement would adequately protect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed concern that Washington might pursue a quick agreement at Ukraine’s expense, warning that Kyiv would reject such an arrangement.
He argued that Russia would have little incentive to negotiate seriously without increased pressure through sanctions and military action.
Meanwhile, Russian military operations against Ukrainian cities and critical energy infrastructure have continued, further complicating the peace efforts.
The Russian delegation to the Abu Dhabi negotiations includes Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Ministers Sergei Ryabkov and Mikhail Galuzin, intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov and army general Yury Zhigarlovsky.
Ukraine’s delegation includes senior officials involved in previous negotiations, among them Foreign Intelligence Service head Rustem Umerov, presidential chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov and lawmaker Davyd Arakhamiya.
Kushner said the discussions were intended to build momentum for further negotiations rather than guarantee an immediate agreement, describing the conflict as exceptionally difficult and complex.
He added that the United States was approaching the process with determination and realism, as diplomatic efforts continue to explore a possible pathway towards ending the war.
