Abu Dhabi talks open with ‘a little bit of flexibility’, Europe outside
American-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine open in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, the first trilateral round since Geneva in February, with US officials reporting “a little bit of flexibility, privately” from both sides on the occupied east. Britain, Germany, France, the EU and Nato will meet the US negotiators beforehand but not join the main talks; Dmitry Peskov said the Americans “have their own channels of communication with Europeans”. Washington says it wants “a final end to the war”.
The American framework, set out by Jared Kushner, covers “stronger consultation, reliable crisis communications, greater military transparency, and reciprocal measures to reduce escalation risks”, with a revived Nato–Russia Council and eventual sanctions relief on the table and, officials say, a US security guarantee for Ukraine “effectively very similar to Nato”. “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,” one official said. Europe is wary: Germany’s Johann Wadephul told the G7 in Paris that “there can be no solution without Europe — only with Europe” and that it was “neither necessary, nor right, nor appropriate” to redraw the continent’s security architecture, while Kaja Kallas said “the problem is that Russia is not respecting” the agreements that already exist. Marco Rubio conceded “we’ve got a ways to go” but called resumed talks “better than not having talks”. Volodymyr Zelensky, claiming Russian losses at record levels, said his forces were “genuinely strengthening Ukraine’s negotiating position”; Russia holds roughly a fifth of the country. Donald Trump said both sides were “tired of fighting”. Watch whether the Europeans get a seat for day two.