Abu Dhabi:A new round of negotiations aimed at ending the Ukrainian war has commenced, marking the fourth attempt to reach a resolution. The talks include representatives from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, with the United Arab Emirates hosting the discussions. Notably, European countries are also participating in this round.
According to Thai News Agency, this marks the first trilateral talks since February, concluding yesterday after four hours. These talks are part of an initiative led by U.S. President Donald Trump to resolve the conflict, which has persisted for over four and a half years. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the initial session as very positive, with Trump's special representative highlighting reduced disagreements and expressing optimism for European inclusion in future talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the discussions were constructive, focusing on critical issues such as prisoner exchanges, humanitarian measures, long-term security guarantees, and conflict de-escalation. While Russia has not disclosed specific details, it acknowledged the United States' peace efforts. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, however, rejected the European Union's immediate ceasefire call, demanding a detailed future security framework first.
The current meeting is distinguished by Europe's increased role in shaping the peace and security path for Ukraine and the broader region. Before the main meeting, representatives from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, the European Union, and NATO gathered in Abu Dhabi for preliminary discussions with the United States and Ukraine. They collectively asserted that lasting peace requires European involvement, despite Russia's reluctance to include Europe at the main negotiation table.