Russia, Ukraine back at negotiating table

ABU DHABI, November 11 ------ Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States began talks in Abu Dhabi on ending Europe’s worst conflict since World War II in the first such meeting in more than nine months, as another winter of war approaches.

Europe — alarmed by US President Donald Trump floating a deal with Moscow on European security ahead of the talks — has also sent representatives to Abu Dhabi. Trump has pushed for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war since returning to power, but previous talks produced no breakthroughs, and the process became sidelined by the US-Israeli war against Iran.

Europe and Ukraine fear the United States will force a deal on Kyiv that would amount to a de facto capitulation, with Trump appearing to pivot toward Moscow this year.

Trump hinted Ukraine will have to give up land ahead of the talks, saying: “They’re going to end up with a little bit different shape, Ukraine.” Russia occupies large swathes of Ukraine but, while its troops have grinded westwards, they have not been able to seize the whole of the Donetsk region. Moscow demands Kyiv surrender the parts of the region it still controls, vowing it will otherwise press on with its offensive.

Ukraine has ruled out such a withdrawal.

Russia pummeled Ukraine in the run-up to the talks and carried out one of its deadliest strikes yet — with Kyiv saying 55 people were killed in a frontline village as they queued for humanitarian aid.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the intensified strikes were part of Moscow’s strategy of “putting pressure on Ukraine’s position” at the negotiations. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff will gather the enemy sides in Abu Dhabi for the first time since February, when negotiations took place in Geneva.

‘We don’t want Yalta 2.0’

Trump last week floated a “very big agreement” on the war that will “involve all of Europe,” stoking fears Washington would collaborate with Moscow on creating a new European security architecture. Shortly before launching its 2022 invasion, Moscow had issued an ultimatum to the West for NATO to roll back troops from Eastern Europe.

The diplomat who issued the demand, Sergei Ryabkov, will for the first time be part of Moscow’s delegation, which is headed by Putin’s nationalistic aide Vladimir Medinsky.

Kushner said Monday that a peace settlement will require direct Russia-Europe talks “on the broader security arrangements that affect them” and said the US “recognizes difficult decisions ahead.”

Source: manilatimes.net