The United States government has released cautious but optimistic signals regarding the prospects of ending the Russia-Ukraine war. U.S. officials stated that following trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine, all parties have agreed to engage in another round of negotiations next week, indicating that diplomatic mediation is progressing to the next stage.
President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner, held trilateral talks with Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Abu Dhabi last Friday and Saturday. Although no specific outcomes were announced after the meeting, two U.S. officials familiar with the negotiation process revealed to The Epoch Times that compared to the U.S.-Ukraine meeting in Geneva in November last year, this dialogue has made “significant progress.”
One U.S. official described the Abu Dhabi talks as a “critical step towards the next stage.” It is also the first time since the outbreak of the war that Russian and Ukrainian representatives have reportedly engaged in face-to-face direct talks under U.S. mediation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, posted on the social platform X after the meeting, stating that the talks were “constructive,” focusing on the “possible parameters for ending the war.” He noted that all parties have agreed to report the negotiation details to their respective governments and coordinate next steps with their leadership.
U.S. officials disclosed that Moscow and Kyiv have begun to consider the “actual benefits of peace.” Ukraine has shown a keen interest in a “prosperity plan” aimed at promoting post-war reconstruction and economic recovery.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Economy issued a statement on the 3rd of this month, indicating that the plan aims to attract public and private sector investments from the United States, the European Union, and the Group of Seven (G7) for an approximately $800 billion post-war reconstruction and economic recovery project.
Another official pointed out that Russia is focusing on post-war recovery and the potential for trade with the United States. The potential economic benefits for both sides are seen as a significant driving force behind the negotiations.
Both officials confirmed that the trilateral parties have agreed to hold another round of talks in Abu Dhabi next week, but remain discreet about specific negotiations on territorial issues. Currently, Russian forces control parts of Ukraine’s pre-war territory and have demanded Kyiv to cede related areas.
U.S. officials stated that the form of direct dialogue among the three parties eliminates the need for U.S. intermediaries to convey each other’s positions, facilitating direct communication between Russian and Ukrainian representatives to explore, test each other, and seek creative solutions, which is seen as highly advantageous for negotiations.
Ukrainian authorities emphasize that any peace agreement must include security guarantees from Western partners. U.S. officials revealed that discussions on related security mechanisms and agreement frameworks have reached a more mature stage and have been submitted for review by NATO and senior U.S. military and national security officials.
However, U.S. officials also admitted that establishing mutual trust still faces severe challenges. During the talks, Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian forces launched large-scale missile attacks on residential areas and energy infrastructure in Kyiv and Kharkiv on Saturday.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X platform, stating that for the Ukrainian people, the so-called peace efforts and diplomatic dialogues are accompanied by “another night filled with Russian terror actions.”
On the same day, the Russian state news agency TASS reported that the Belgorod region near the Russian-Ukrainian border had come under attack.