US prepares groundwork in Abu Dhabi for Zelensky and Putin decisions

Washington's strategy: from working groups to personal meetings

According to information released by a US official, the talks in Abu Dhabi aim to "crystallise" decisions that will form the basis of future agreements between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin. US President's special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are conducting these consultations to clearly outline the positions of the parties.

Following the conclusion of meetings in the UAE, the US delegation is expected to travel to Moscow and Kyiv to hold direct negotiations with the leaders of both states.

Working groups: security and territorial issues

The negotiation process is structured through special working groups. The military track is led by US European Command Commander General Alexus Hrynkewych. His team is focused on developing mechanisms for monitoring the ceasefire and determining security measures after the end of the war.

The political working group is working on the most complex aspect — territorial claims. US officials note that over the past weeks, during private contacts, both sides have demonstrated some flexibility on this issue. Meanwhile, Washington is convinced that an agreement on territories is impossible until security guarantees are agreed upon.

Europe's role and the third communication channel

The US side is inviting representatives of European countries for separate consultations on the sidelines of the meeting in Abu Dhabi. This is linked to the fact that Europe will play a key role in any post-war security agreements.

In addition, Washington plans to launch a third negotiation channel between European states and Russia. The main goal of this mechanism is to find new ways to de-escalate tensions and prevent conflicts.

However, some European countries view this initiative with distrust, fearing it could lead to the weakening of NATO. Witkoff and Kushner hope that Moscow will also agree to involve European representatives in the next round of negotiations.

Kyiv's priorities and other parties' positions

Ukrainian officials highlight three main tasks for the negotiations:

• establishing an energy ceasefire;
• organising a maritime ceasefire;
• holding a trilateral summit with the participation of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

It is worth noting that neither the Russian delegation nor the US side confirms that the issues of an energy and maritime ceasefire are being discussed during the current consultations. Instead, both Washington and Moscow are focusing on the issues of future security guarantees.