Direct talks held in Abu Dhabi ended after two days of discussions, the first in more than eight months. The two sides agreed there on a new…
These talks aimed to find a way out of more than four years of war. Few concrete elements emerged from them, however, according to the assessment…
The parties disagreed over the role Europe should play in the continuation of the negotiations, a point of disagreement that remained unresolved at…
Direct talks held in Abu Dhabi ended after two days of discussions, the first in more than eight months. The two sides agreed there on a new large-scale exchange of prisoners.
These talks aimed to find a way out of more than four years of war. Few concrete elements emerged from them, however, according to the assessment drawn up at the end of the meetings.
The parties disagreed over the role Europe should play in the continuation of the negotiations, a point of disagreement that remained unresolved at the close of the discussions.
They nevertheless reported progress and said the talks would continue.
Dig deeper
What is Abu Dhabi and why are these talks being held there?
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates, a Gulf state that often serves as a neutral venue for international mediation.
Which war and which sides are involved?
This is the war between Russia and Ukraine, begun in 2022: the two sides are speaking directly again after more than eight months without this type of meeting.
Why does Europe’s role divide the parties?
Europe here means the European Union and the European states, whose support Kyiv wants in the next stage of the negotiations, a role that Moscow disputes.
What is a prisoner exchange in this conflict?
It is the reciprocal return of military personnel, and sometimes civilians, held on both sides, one of the few subjects on which the two sides are still able to agree.
What is at stake beyond this exchange?
The stakes are an end to more than four years of war; aside from the prisoner exchange, few concrete advances have been recorded.
What happens next?
The parties indicated that the talks would continue, without having resolved the disagreement over Europe’s place.