White House cautiously upbeat about Russia-Ukraine peace talks this week
Summary
U.S. officials said they are cautiously optimistic about Russia-Ukraine peace talks scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, the first U.S.-mediated meeting since talks paused in February. The sides remain far apart on territory, and Russian attacks and the lack of a ceasefire cloud prospects for progress.Key Facts
- White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held frequent calls with Russian and Ukrainian officials to prepare for the talks.
- The negotiations will include a military working group on ceasefire monitoring and security arrangements, and a political working group on territorial demands.
- Russia wants control of all of Donbas, while Ukraine says territory should be divided along current front lines.
- U.S. officials said both sides have shown some flexibility on territory, but a territorial agreement depends on reaching security guarantees.
- U.S. officials said Witkoff and Kushner may travel to Moscow and Kyiv after the Abu Dhabi meetings to speak with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.
- Senior officials from NATO, the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy were invited to hold separate discussions in Abu Dhabi.
- The United States also wants to begin a separate track of talks between European countries and Russia on reducing tensions, an idea many European countries view with suspicion.
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