Russia envoy says Abu Dhabi talks show “positive movement” toward peace

Kirill Dmitriev, a senior Russian envoy and Putin’s investment envoy, said progress was being made in U.S.-brokered trilateral talks on Ukraine taking place in Abu Dhabi, declaring there was “positive movement forward.” Dmitriev framed external criticism as evidence of momentum, saying, “The warmongers from Europe, from Britain, are constantly trying to interfere with this process, constantly trying to meddle in it. And the more such attempts there are, the more we see that progress is definitely being made.”

Ukraine’s chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, confirmed that the second day of consultations had begun and described the working rhythm in a Telegram post: “The second day of negotiations in Abu Dhabi has begun. We are working in the same formats as yesterday: trilateral consultations, group work and further synchronization of positions.” Umerov and Russian officials characterized the first day as meaningful and productive, focusing on concrete steps and practical solutions, even as substantive differences remained.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, who is part of the American delegation, said he had held “productive and constructive meetings” with Dmitriev and expressed encouragement that Russia appeared to be working toward securing peace. Witkoff wrote on X that he was “encouraged by this meeting that Russia is working toward securing peace in Ukraine and is grateful for [the president's] critical leadership in seeking a durable and lasting peace,” and said Ukrainians were “hopeful and expecting that we're going to deliver a peace deal sometime soon.”

The Abu Dhabi round is billed as different from prior efforts in part because the Russian delegation included military teams, a development that could indicate a shift toward negotiating not only political terms but security arrangements and operational constraints. Diplomats and officials involved say the United States is pressing both sides to find compromises, but core disputes remain wide.

The most explicit stumbling block is territory. Russia continues to demand that Ukraine cede land in the Donetsk region, a demand Kyiv has firmly rejected. No formal proposals, maps or written agreements have been made public from the talks, and negotiators cautioned that language describing “progress” does not amount to a signed deal or ceasefire.

Parallel diplomatic steps have been underway. An earlier U.S.-Russia economic working group met in Miami on Jan. 31 and included U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Dmitriev, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Dmitriev said active work was under way on restoring relations with the United States, including economic channels, signaling that negotiators are trying to couple political settlement discussions with measures to normalize limited ties.

Markets have shown tentative sensitivity to the talks. Trading screens recorded the dollar-ruble rate at roughly 76.64, down about 0.13% intraday, with modest five-day appreciation and a year-to-date decline, reflecting investors’ cautious read of talks that could alter sanctions, trade and investment flows if they lead to a substantive accord.

Analysts warn that progress in tone does not guarantee closure. The inclusion of military personnel suggests future rounds may dive into verification, force posture and timelines, areas notoriously difficult to codify. For Western capitals and markets, the policy question is whether a negotiated pause or land-for-peace framework would stabilize Ukraine and reduce geopolitical risk, or whether a premature compromise could institutionalize territorial losses and embolden further revisionism.

Negotiators say work will continue, but they offered no timetable for outcomes. For now, Abu Dhabi has produced guarded optimism and a clear list of unresolved issues, leaving the most consequential decisions to come.