The first trilateral-format talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States since February have begun this Tuesday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), specifically in Abu Dhabi, in a renewed attempt by the international community to unlock dialogue and move toward a possible peace agreement between Kiev and Moscow.
The head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence services, Rustem Umerov, has confirmed the start of these contacts and indicated that “the agenda includes key issues on the cessation of hostilities and a move toward peace.” “We are working in line with the tasks set by the President of Ukraine (Volodimir Zelenski),” he said in a brief message shared on social media.
Sources from the Russian negotiating team cited by the news agency Interfax have also confirmed the start of this trilateral format, although for the moment no further details have emerged about the detailed content of the talks.
Before this meeting, a Ukrainian delegation held a preparatory meeting with representatives of the European Commission, NATO, the United States and several European countries to “compare positions and coordinate the steps to be followed before the next stage of negotiations,” as Umerov himself explained.
In this context, he stressed that Kiev’s “fundamental priorities” in the process include “the cessation of hostilities, reliable security guarantees for the postwar period, economic recovery and the development of Ukraine, as well as the adoption of humanitarian measures.” “We are working to achieve the maximum possible progress on these issues and bring peace closer,” he concluded.
At the same time, Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, had already indicated that these talks would address “issues aimed at ensuring collective security in the region,” in addition to “guarantees that will be applied once a total and comprehensive agreement is reached.”
These contacts come after the latest debates surrounding a peace proposal for Ukraine, driven by the summit held recently in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, and the subsequent trip to Saint Petersburg by the United States envoy, Steve Witkoff, to discuss the course of the negotiations.
In parallel to these diplomatic moves, the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, and the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Store, held a telephone conversation in late October with the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, with the aim of analyzing the situation on the ground and trying to move toward the end of the invasion of Ukraine, initiated in February 2022.