Trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US have begun

The United Arab Emirates is hosting a summit on Ukraine. In a statement released by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was announced that trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US have begun in Abu Dhabi. The statement noted, "The talks began today in Abu Dhabi and will last for two days. This is part of ongoing efforts to encourage dialogue and find political solutions to the crisis."

The Russian state news agency TASS reported that the first round of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US would be held "completely closed to the media and the public."

Dispute over Donbas to be addressed

The Abu Dhabi talks aim to establish a foundation for advancing the peace process, directly addressing the dispute over territory and the Donbas region, and discussing security mechanisms and paths toward political consensus.

"Everyone knows what to do"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he held a "meeting" with his entire negotiating team shortly before the Abu Dhabi talks began. According to Ukrainian media, Zelenskyy said, "Our entire team is there; we have spoken with everyone, and everyone knows what to do. We discussed the framework of the talks, the issues to be addressed, and the desired outcomes. We also discussed that the formats could vary. The team will make decisions on the ground and adjust their approach based on how the dialogue progresses."

Kostyukov represents Russia, Umerov represents Ukraine

A statement from the Kremlin, the Russian presidential palace, indicated that only military officials acting under Putin's instructions would attend the meeting, and the delegation would be led by İgor Kostyukov, head of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU). The Ukrainian delegation will be led by Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. The US is expected to be represented by Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy to the Middle East, and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and former senior advisor.

The Donbas issue

The Donbas region, located in eastern Ukraine, encompasses the Donetsk and Luhansk regions near the Russian border and holds great importance for both countries due to its industrial wealth. Since a significant portion of the region's population is of Russian descent and speaks Russian, Russia seeks to increase its influence there and protect its strategic interests. On the other hand, Ukraine aims to preserve its territorial integrity. This situation makes Donbas a theater for both war and diplomatic crisis.

In an interview, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that they would take Donbas and Novorossiya regardless of the circumstances, saying, "We will either liberate these regions by force, or Ukrainian troops will leave these regions and stop fighting there."

News Source: 12punto