Ukraine and Russia Show Willingness to Compromise on Territorial Issues – Reuters

On the eve of the trilateral talks between Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia in Abu Dhabi, officials in Washington stated that, during private discussions, both sides have shown some willingness to make concessions on the territorial issue. In addition, the U.S. side sees signs that Russia is genuinely interested in ending the war.

Flexibility on Territorial Issues

According to a source who spoke with reporters ahead of the talks in the UAE, both sides have privately shown a certain willingness to compromise on the territorial issue.

He also noted that any territorial agreement will likely be reached at the end of the talks, after the parties have agreed on other issues, particularly the post-war security architecture.

Reuters notes that publicly, the parties’ positions remain hardline: Ukraine wants Russia pushed back to the original border, while the Russian dictator seeks to gain control of the entire Donbas. 

Security Guarantees

According to the official, security guarantees for Ukraine will be one of the main topics of the negotiations, including the possibility of protection for Kyiv modeled after Article 5 of the NATO Treaty.

The talks in Abu Dhabi will be led by U.S. Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The meeting is scheduled to last two days. The official suggested that afterward, they may travel to Russia to meet with the Russian dictator.

"Cautious Optimism"

The official noted that the negotiations will take time, but there is cautious optimism on the American side regarding progress. He also said:

“This is the first time I feel that we are seeing a genuine desire on Russia’s part to end [the war].” 

Reuters reported this, citing an unnamed U.S. official.
 

The Russian delegation has arrived in Abu Dhabi for talks with the U.S. and Ukraine.

The meeting in Abu Dhabi will take place without any discussion of a ceasefire, according to The New York Times.

On November 9, China expressed support at a UN Security Council meeting for diplomatic efforts aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.