In a positive atmosphere – according to the Russian side – the second day of between and, with the mediation of , in Abu Dhabi whose goal is to end the .
According to what the envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kirill Dmitriev, said in his statements, progress and positive movement are being made in the negotiations. These statements come to confirm the assessments of Ukraine’s chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, regarding the first day of talks, according to which they were “substantial and productive, with a focus on concrete steps and practical solutions.”
Umerov clarified that today the officials will work with the same formats as on the first day: tripartite consultations, group discussions and then joint coordination of positions again.
“The second day of negotiations in Abu Dhabi has begun,” Umerov said via the Telegram app. Kirill Dmitriev said that intensive work is underway to restore Russia’s relations with the United States, including within the framework of the joint US-Russia working group on economic issues.
“The warmongering circles from Europe and Britain are constantly trying to interfere in this process and manipulate it. And the more these efforts are, the more we see that clear progress is being made,” Dmitriev said, according to a statement from his press service. “There is positive movement forward,” he added.
Trump pressure to find a compromise
The administration of US President Donald Trump is putting pressure on both Kiev and Moscow to find a compromise that will lead to an end to the war. However, despite multiple rounds of contacts with US officials, the two sides remain significantly apart on key issues.
Ukrainian officials noted that the current round of talks differed from previous efforts in that the Russian delegation included military officials.
The most complex issues concern Moscow’s demands that Kiev cede territory it still controls in the eastern Donetsk region, as well as the future of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, which is located in Russian-held territory.
As a condition of any deal, Russia is asking Ukraine to withdraw its troops from the entire Donetsk region, including a line of heavily fortified towns considered among Ukraine’s strongest defensive positions. Kiev has said the war should “freeze” along the current front lines and rejects any unilateral withdrawal of its forces, while stressing that it seeks to regain control of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.
Russia holds about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and parts of the eastern Donbass region, which were seized before the 2022 invasion. Analysts estimate that as of early 2024 Russia has increased its control by about 1.5% of Ukrainian territory.
After heavy Russian airstrikes against Ukraine on Tuesday night ahead of the talks, there were fewer reports of attacks on Thursday. Kyiv’s mayor said two people were injured in an overnight drone strike in the Ukrainian capital.
