The table is set, but the dishes are the same
Volodymyr Zelenskyy made it clear: the future of Donbas is the highlight of this Friday’s meeting in Abu Dhabi. Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States sit down to talk to try to end an invasion that is almost four years old. The recipe? It’s still not clear.
The talks come after a marathon night in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin argued for hours with Donald Trump’s envoys. The Kremlin’s message was direct: for peace, kyiv must withdraw its troops from the eastern areas that Russia annexed. A demand that Ukraine rejects outright.
“I think it will be positive for our business,” Zelenskyy told reporters.
The Ukrainian president thus referred to his proposal for a free trade zone under Ukrainian control in the east of the country. An idea that, he revealed, he discussed with Trump on Thursday in Davos.
Behind the diplomatic curtain
It is not clear whether Ukrainians and Russians will meet in the same room this Friday. What is certain is that Europe is waiting for news. “The Europeans will certainly receive comments from us,” Zelenskyy said in an audio message.
Meanwhile, Moscow offers few details. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the meeting a simple “working group on security issues.” The Russian delegation is headed by an admiral and made up of military personnel. The talks could last until Saturday.
In parallel, another Putin envoy will hold talks with Trump’s team on economic issues. All this comes after Zelenskyy harshly criticized his European allies for a “slow and fragmented” response.
“It was reaffirmed that a long-term agreement cannot be expected to be reached without resolving the territorial question,” declared Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin adviser.
Ushakov took part in the long evening meeting with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. According to him, the talks were “frank, constructive and fruitful.” They lasted almost four hours.
Trump’s envoys briefed Putin on previous contacts with Ukrainians and Europeans. Also present was Josh Gruenbaum, head of the US Federal Acquisition Service and senior advisor on Trump’s Peace Board.
Russia has been invited to that meeting. While Moscow considers it, Putin reiterated a controversial offer: provide 1 billion from Russian assets frozen in the United States to help rebuild Gaza.
When asked about that proposal, Trump’s response was brief: “If it uses your money, great.”
Zelenskyy says peace proposals are “almost ready”, but the final status of the occupied territories remains unresolved. In Abu Dhabi, another game is being played in this long conflict.
