The next round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, mediated by the U.S., will take place in Abu Dhabi on February 1. This was announced by an unnamed U.S. official during a telephone briefing with the media.
He described the initial direct talks held in Abu Dhabi as a "big step," emphasizing that mutual respect was felt between the parties. U.S. Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkopf also stated that the talks were constructive and confirmed that the meeting would continue next week.
It is reported that on January 22 in Moscow, Steve Witkopf, Jared Kushner, and White House advisor Josh Gruenbaum held a four-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Unresolved issues, including territorial problems, were discussed.
During the closed-door talks in Abu Dhabi on January 23-24, the Ukrainian delegation was led by Rustam Umarov, and the Russian side was led by Igor Kostyukov. While Volodymyr Zelenskyy assessed the discussions positively, Moscow reiterated its demand for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas. Kyiv rejects this demand.
Furthermore, on the first day after the talks, Russia carried out another series of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. Kyiv officials assessed these strikes as being aimed against the peace process.
