Europe doubts quick peace: Abu Dhabi talks yield no breakthrough

Despite the conflicting parties agreeing to involve European partners in future meetings, European governments remain cautious in their assessments of the peace process prospects. As reported by Politico, European capitals are not displaying optimism regarding the possibility of a quick breakthrough following the recent round of discussions.

Moscow's position has not changed

A European diplomat, who requested anonymity due to the confidentiality of the discussions, emphasised the stability of the Kremlin's demands. According to him, the position of the Russian Federation remains unchanged.

«Вимоги Росії - це ті самі максималістські вимоги, які ми чуємо вже багато років» ("Russia's demands are the same maximalist demands we have been hearing for many years"), the publication's source noted.

Europe's role in the negotiations

Recently, negotiations have taken place between the US, Ukraine, and Russia in various formats. Their outcome was a decision on the necessity of European partners' participation in the further process. US President Trump's special envoy Jared Kushner confirmed this view, stating that concluding a peace agreement to end the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine is impossible without Europe's presence at the negotiating table.

Results of the Abu Dhabi meeting

The two-day trilateral negotiations held on 10–11 November in Abu Dhabi have concluded. The parties managed to reach agreement on two key issues:

• to implement a large-scale exchange of prisoners of war;
• to ensure the continuation of the negotiation process.

At the same time, a number of fundamental issues remains unresolved:

• Ceasefire: no specific agreement on a cessation of hostilities was reached;
• Territorial issue: the positions of Kyiv and Moscow remain fundamentally different;
• Energy truce: attempts to coordinate a cessation of strikes on energy infrastructure proved unsuccessful;
• Security guarantees: discussions on this aspect are ongoing, but no final decisions have been made.