US-Russia-Ukraine talks begin in Abu Dhabi: First day lasts 4.5 hours

As part of diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, the parties sat at the negotiating table for the first time since February. The first day of trilateral talks between US, Russian, and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, ended after a 4.5-hour session. Rustem Umerov, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service who led the Ukrainian delegation, announced that the first round was completed after more than four hours of negotiations and that talks are expected to continue tomorrow. Umerov stated that the agenda included fundamental issues related to ending the conflicts and moving closer to peace. According to Russian media, the talks will address the creation of a new security system in Europe and ensuring regional stability after the end of the conflicts. Additionally, the development of mechanisms to prevent potential threats will also be on the table. US President Donald Trump's Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, in their statements to the delegations before the meeting, said that Trump requested extra effort for a solution that would end the war and leave both sides in a stronger position. Kushner noted that the US wants to establish a new security framework for Ukraine, Russia, and Europe, saying, "Today's hope is to discuss not only bilateral issues and how to end the war, but also how to create the right security arrangements between Ukraine, Russia, and Europe. Thus, we can create a new framework that will not only end this war but also secure peace for decades, even centuries." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that Moscow prefers to negotiate a broad security framework covering Europe before moving on to the details of the war. Lavrov said, "The idea of moving to the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict after determining clear parameters for the future security architecture is extremely reasonable." Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticized the presence of European representatives who are not participating in the trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi. Zakharova said, "No one really understands what the Europeans will do in Abu Dhabi or why they went there," arguing that this initiative is "a kind of publicity stunt." Not investment advice.