Ukraine and Russia show ‘a little bit of flexibility’ on territory

The renewed US-mediated negotiations come amid deep divisions over territorial concessions and post-war security guarantees, with European leaders pressing for a role in discussions that could reshape the continent’s security.

Ukraine and Russia have privately shown “a little bit of flexibility” over disputed territory, US media reported, citing a senior American official, as a new round of talks aimed at ending Moscow’s war begins in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

The comments came as US President Donald Trump suggestedUkraine could emerge from the war with “a little bit different shape”, without specifying which territorial changes he envisaged.

Moscow demands that Ukraine recognise Russian control over Crimea and the four regions it claims to have illegally annexed – Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson – and withdraw its forces from all four regions, including areas Russia has never occupied. Kyiv rejects these demands.

The US official offered no details of the reported flexibility, but cautioned that territorial disputes could not be resolved without agreement on post-war security arrangements.

“They will not solve the Donetsk issue and the territorial issue until they know what the security architecture is going to be after the war,” the official said.

Ahead of the talks, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv would propose steps to reduce hostilities in Abu Dhabi and seek agreement on how to arrange a trilateral meeting between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia and the US.

“At the meetings in Abu Dhabi, our team will propose de-escalatory steps, and there must be an understanding of how to arrange a trilateral meeting at the leaders’ level to bring this war to an end fairly and for real,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.

Abu Dhabi talks begin with European consultations

The negotiations opened on Tuesday with a meeting between Ukrainian, American and European representatives, ahead of the first trilateral talks involving Kyiv, Moscow and Washington since February.

Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov said representatives from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, NATO and the European Commission attended the initial meeting, alongside US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

“We will align our positions and coordinate steps ahead of the next stage of negotiations,” Umerov said, referring to the subsequent trilateral format with Russia.

He identified Ukraine’s priorities as ending hostilities, securing post-war security guarantees, economic recovery and humanitarian measures.

Post-war security proposals

European leaders have pressed for a greater role in the US-led diplomatic process, particularly as Washington considers arrangements that could reshape the continent’s security.

“In order to end the war, you need to have Europe at the table,” a senior US official reportedly said ahead of the talks.

According to US media reports, Washington and Moscow have discussed possible security guarantees for Ukraine resembling NATO’s Article 4 and Article 5 provisions, which cover consultations over security threats and collective defence respectively.

The official also reportedly raised the possibility of reviving the NATO-Russia Council, suspended since 2022, and introducing a sanctions “snapback” mechanism that would allow restrictions on Moscow to be reinstated if Russia violated a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure continue. In his evening address on Monday, Zelenskyy warned that Moscow was seeking to divide Ukraine along the Dnipro River by targeting bridges and the power grid.

“Russia is trying to divide Ukraine along the Dnipro River and make life as difficult as possible for people – for our cities and villages,” he said.

Despite renewed diplomatic efforts, Washington has cautioned against expectations of an immediate breakthrough.

US envoy Jared Kushner said the talks could help “build momentum toward the next phase of negotiations”, describing the conflict as “extraordinarily difficult and complicated”.

Source: www.euronews.com