Trilateral Talks Between Russia and Ukraine Held in Abu Dhabi Amid Intensifying Energy Crisis

Delegates from Ukraine and Russia held trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on Friday to end the war that has been ongoing for nearly four years. Although the main agenda of the talks, mediated by the United States, centered on regional integrity and territorial issues, no concrete agreement could be reached.

Russia has demanded that Ukraine must relinquish the entire Donbas industrial region to stop the war, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his firm stance that Ukraine will not surrender any land currently not under Russian control under any circumstances.

These talks are taking place at a time when the energy system in Ukraine has been devastated by Russian airstrikes, leading to the worst energy crisis in the country's history. With the cold weather intensifying, power and heating management have stopped in major cities, including the capital Kyiv, which energy experts have termed a 'humanitarian catastrophe.'

Zelenskyy stated via Telegram that he remains in constant contact with his negotiating team and that a conclusion can only be reached after the final phase of discussions scheduled for Saturday.

He also informed that a security guarantee agreement is ready and only awaiting a date for signing, following his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov clarified that handing over the Donbas region to Russia remains the primary condition for the talks. Russia seeks to proceed according to the alleged 'Anchorage Formula' discussed at the August summit in the U.S., which proposes Russian control over Donbas and a ceasefire in other regions.

On the other hand, Russia has proposed using its $5 billion in frozen assets in the U.S. for the reconstruction of Russian-controlled territories, a proposal Zelenskyy dismissed as "nonsense." Ukraine, conversely, has maintained its demand for war reparations directly from Russia.