Talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Abu Dhabi ended without a breakthrough on the key issues surrounding an end to the war. After two days of discussions, Moscow and Kyiv reached an agreement in principle on a large-scale exchange of prisoners of war, but did not announce an agreement on territories, a ceasefire or future security guarantees for Ukraine.
The meetings were the first direct talks between the Russian and Ukrainian sides since February. The American delegation was led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Kushner described the talks as “very difficult but productive” and said that “good ideas on how to overcome” the differences had emerged.
Humanitarian Result, but No Political Agreement
The Associated Press stressed that the agreed prisoner exchange was the most significant concrete result of the meeting. The exact number of participants is to be determined on November 12. According to the agency, however, hopes for rapid progress are limited by the lack of significant results in the previous three rounds of talks and the ongoing long-range Russian and Ukrainian strikes.
Al Jazeera also described the agreement on prisoners as an important humanitarian step, but noted that it had not led to a breakthrough on political issues. According to the outlet, the sides remain far apart because of the dispute over territories and differences over security guarantees. Russia and Ukraine also continue to discuss which issue should be addressed first in a potential peace process.
Europe Insists on Being Included
One of the leading themes in the reactions of the world media is Europe’s role. Kushner said that he and Witkoff would travel to Moscow to seek Vladimir Putin’s support for including European representatives in future talks. According to him, “Europe must be at the negotiating table,” and the American side had already discussed this with the Russian president and his team.
Le Monde focused on the concern in European capitals that talks about a new security architecture could push the demand for a ceasefire to the background. The French newspaper noted that European representatives had wanted to remind the American mediators of their consistent position: first, a halt to the fighting; then, guarantees for Ukraine; and only afterwards, a broader security plan.
Global Times presents Europe’s insistence on participation as a reaction to the shift in Washington’s policy. According to the Chinese publication, Europe fears that decisions on regional security could be made by other powers without taking the interests of European countries into account.
The Next Step Is Moscow
Despite the lack of an agreement, Kushner and Witkoff said they would continue their mediation efforts. They plan to meet with Putin in Moscow, followed by talks with Zelensky in Dublin. The aim is to further clarify the ideas discussed in Abu Dhabi and determine whether the format can be expanded to include European representatives.
For now, the talks demonstrate a limited but functioning diplomatic channel. The prisoner exchange confirms that agreements are possible on humanitarian issues, while territorial claims, security guarantees and the sequence of a potential ceasefire continue to block a broader agreement.
Sources: apnews.com, aljazeera.com, lemonde.fr