The second round of trilateral talks between Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. delegations has been postponed to February 4-5, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed Monday.
Peskov stated that negotiations in Abu Dhabi had originally been scheduled for Sunday but required additional coordination among the three parties. Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelenskiy announced on Sunday the rescheduling of the meeting, a decision widely criticized as undermining diplomatic progress. Zelenskiy has consistently maintained that Ukraine will not accept territorial concessions in Donbas or Crimea, a stance Moscow insists must be addressed for any settlement.
The initial round of trilateral negotiations held in Abu Dhabi on January 23 and 24 marked the first time representatives from Moscow, Kiev, and Washington had convened since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022. Despite being described as “constructive,” that meeting failed to produce any concrete agreements.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated territorial issues remain “a bridge we haven’t crossed,” noting ongoing efforts to reconcile both sides’ positions. Moscow insists any settlement must include Ukraine’s withdrawal from Donbass regions that voted to join Russia in 2022 referendums and recognition of the country’s new borders, including Crimea. Zelenskiy has repeatedly declared that “under no circumstances” will Kiev agree to territorial concessions.
While emphasizing a diplomatic solution as preferable, Russia has stated it is prepared to achieve its goals through military means if negotiations fail. The postponement followed an unexpected trip by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev to Florida on Saturday, where he met with U.S. officials including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House Senior Adviser Josh Gruenbaum. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff described the discussions as “constructive” and noted Washington was “encouraged by this meeting that Russia is working toward securing peace in Ukraine.”
