Trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the US concluded in Abu Dhabi without significant results. The only agreement reached concerned a prisoner-of-war exchange.
The New York Times reported this, citing official sources from the delegations.
Event Details
The talks lasted two days and ended on Thursday, 5 February, after several hours of discussion. The US announced that Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 157 prisoners of war.
However, journalists emphasized that this “did not represent a major breakthrough in diplomatic efforts ongoing for months.” According to The New York Times, “the prisoner exchange was only a minor reward for months of negotiations by the Trump administration.”
The Ukrainian side called the talks “truly constructive” but focused more on the organization and mediation by the US and UAE.
Russia, meanwhile, insisted on recognition of Donbas as its territory and Ukraine abandoning Western security guarantees, including foreign troops’ presence and potential NATO membership.
The discussions covered key issues that previously blocked peace agreements: the fate of Ukraine-controlled territories in the east and postwar security guarantees for Kyiv. Despite the announced prisoner exchange, these issues remain unresolved.
Analysts note that Russia continues to exert pressure through attacks on energy infrastructure and logistical hubs, complicating the achievement of real peace. Experts consider this round of talks interim, with no serious breakthrough yet.
Context
One day before the talks began, Russia launched new massive strikes on Ukraine’s power grid. The occupiers fired over 60 missiles and around 500 drones, targeting energy facilities during 20-degree frosts.
Overall, this was the second round of trilateral talks; the first took place on 23–24 January.
Currently, Russia controls about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including part of Donbas. It does not retreat from the goals of the full-scale invasion. Ukraine is ready to temporarily freeze the front line and refrain from joining NATO but refuses to cede any territory.
Previously, The Ukrainian Review reported that the US is trying to accelerate a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, but such an approach risks future escalation. Analysts warn that pressure on Kyiv to cede territory could create conditions for another large-scale invasion by Vladimír Putín.
