Ukraine peace talks resume with signs of flexibility

Peace negotiations regarding the conflict in Ukraine have restarted, with US officials noting that both warring parties are displaying "some flexibility." The previous trilateral discussions took place in Geneva during February but concluded without a breakthrough. Following that, Washington’s focus shifted toward the US-Israel war on Iran, leading to a long gap in diplomatic efforts.

European leaders have since advocated for their inclusion in the process, worried that matters concerning their own security were being determined without their input. On Monday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for Nato allies and EU members to be integrated into any "meaningful discussions about Europe's security architecture." President Volodymyr Zelensky has also consistently expressed that Kyiv desires European participation in these talks.

According to a US official, the American strategy involves transitioning to a multilateral format that includes European representatives. While the official expressed hope that "we'll get the Russians on board," they also conceded that "the Russians have a bad taste in their mouth with the Europeans." Since beginning his second term, US President Donald Trump has led several unsuccessful rounds of talks aimed at ending the war.

President Trump’s increasingly conciliatory stance towards Moscow has caused significant anxiety in Kyiv and throughout the European Union. Following a meeting in Washington last week with Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev, Trump spoke of a potential "big, beautiful agreement" on Ukraine that "might involve all of Europe." Many in Ukraine, however, remain doubtful that such an arrangement would lead to a fair peace.

Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian MP who leads the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, stated that he believes Trump is seeking "a quick deal at the expense of Ukraine," which he claimed would be rejected by Kyiv. Merezhko argued that real negotiations will only occur if Russia faces increased pressure through sanctions and deep strikes. He claimed that "While Putin has a war machine up and running, he has no incentives to negotiate," and cited Trump’s deal to buy diesel from Russia as something that "only encourages Moscow to continue the war."

The Russian delegation arriving in Abu Dhabi features Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, deputy foreign ministers Sergei Ryabkov and Mikhail Galuzin, spy chief Igor Kostyukov, and army general Yury Zhigarlovsky. Kyiv’s team includes senior officials experienced in past negotiations, such as Foreign Intelligence Service head Rustem Umerov, Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov, and MP Davyd Arakhamiya.

Outside of the Abu Dhabi discussions, Russia maintains its deadly bombardments and strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Officials in Kyiv view these actions as evidence that Moscow aims to force Ukraine into accepting terms that favour Russia. On Monday, Kushner noted that the current talks could at most "build momentum toward the next phase of negotiations." Writing on X, he described the conflict as "extraordinarily difficult and complicated" and stated that the US was "approaching these discussions with determination and realism."