Ukraine Warupdated 14m ago3 min read
Putin’s Delegation Chief Vladimir Medinsky Vows To Return Every Inch of Russian Land
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Medinsky vows to reclaim every inch of Russian land in Ukraine. Abu Dhabi talks produced no breakthroughs on Kremlin territorial demands.
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Abu Dhabi talks end
Russia and Ukraine ended the first direct negotiations between them in nearly a year after US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi lasted two days without producing any breakthroughs. Kremlin officials said the meetings brought the prospect of a peace deal closer, while Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said the renewed dialog provided "good momentum" and suggested it may be possible to reach a solution by the end of the year. Russia’s territorial demands remained a key sticking point, with the Kremlin continuing to demand that Ukraine withdraw from the remaining 10 percent of the Donbas region still under Kyiv’s control.
Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, said on the sidelines of the talks in the United Arab Emirates, "Every inch of Russian land will be returned to Russia, one way or another," while Ukrainian and Russian representatives offered upbeat assessments of the talks. The talks also failed to produce progress on postwar security guarantees for Ukraine, even as the US-mediated process tentatively agreed on a major prisoner exchange.
Europe shifts into focus
The negotiations’ focus shifted toward Europe’s participation and the continent’s security arrangements after the Abu Dhabi talks produced an agreement in principle on a major prisoner exchange but no breakthrough on a ceasefire or territorial settlement. Zelenskyy warned against discussing Europe’s future security architecture before ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, saying, "A lot depends on when and how the war will end in Ukraine." Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal told reporters in Dublin that discussions about European security architecture risked distracting from ending Russia’s war, calling it "a mental trap to talk about European security architecture before the peace."
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Russia expected US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to convey Moscow’s messages to Zelenskyy, adding, "We hope that the messages from Moscow will be conveyed in full detail." The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a decision on dialogue in an expanded format would depend on Europe’s intentions, stating, "Once we understand their true intentions and their readiness to facilitate the peace process" it would be possible to take a decision.
Hardline demands and next steps
Russia’s negotiators continued to press for a European security framework alongside territorial demands, with the BBC describing how the Kremlin spelt out a prerequisite for peace as "A new, long-term architecture of indivisible security and peace." Kaja Kallas called Russia’s demands a "trap" designed to shift attention away from a ceasefire, writing, "The priority should be securing a ceasefire, followed by a peace agreement." In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Europe must show readiness to contribute before a decision is made on letting Europeans join the next round, stating, "Once we understand their genuine intention and readiness to contribute to the peace process" it would be possible to make a decision.
“A new, long-term architecture of indivisible security and peace.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the US approach of discussing a new European security order with Russia was "a bit strange," and he warned that Starshield restrictions were affecting the battlefield and Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine. The next phase of talks remained unresolved as Russia signaled it had not yet committed to European participation, while US envoys described the prisoner exchange as evidence of progress toward a potential settlement.