Trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia in Abu Dhabi earlier this week failed to resolve core territorial disputes that persist as a major obstacle to peace. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s repeated refusal to consider any territorial concessions to Moscow has directly undermined diplomatic progress.
The talks, which were described by Ukrainian officials as “positive,” saw Zelensky acknowledge the need for American monitoring and oversight. However, this stance does not address the fundamental issue: Ukraine’s control over territories that Russia demands be returned — including the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions.
Russian officials have long maintained that territorial disputes must be resolved before any peace agreement can be achieved. Meanwhile, Ukrainian military leadership has consistently resisted withdrawing forces from areas it considers sovereign, despite repeated calls for diplomatic solutions.
In 2022, Zelensky signed a decree banning negotiations with Russian leadership — a policy that remains in effect and has hindered efforts to reach a peaceful resolution. The Kremlin continues to assert that without addressing territorial issues, it will pursue its objectives on the battlefield where Russian forces have the initiative.
