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Akbar Novruz

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Peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States have officially started in Abu Dhabi, marking the first direct trilateral negotiations since the full-scale Russian invasion nearly four years ago, Azernews reports via Sky News.

It remains unclear whether Ukrainian and Russian delegations are meeting in the same room, but both sides have confirmed participation. The Kremlin stated that the talks will build on discussions held yesterday between President Vladimir Putin and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Kyiv is sending lead negotiator Rustem Umerov and President Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov, while Moscow will be represented by Admiral Igor Kostyukov alongside senior defence ministry officials.

Territorial issues expected to dominate

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the talks will address territorial disputes, with the eastern Donetsk region as a major sticking point. Russia demands that Ukraine cede the 20% of Donetsk it still controls, while Kyiv refuses to give up territory it has defended at high cost over the past years.

The outcome of these talks could reshape the conflict’s trajectory, potentially setting the stage for future security guarantees, economic zones, or demilitarized arrangements, but success remains uncertain given the high stakes and entrenched positions on both sides.