Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, who heads the Russian negotiating team in Abu Dhabi, stated that the November 10–11 talks between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the US, have brought the parties closer to a peace agreement. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Vesti TV channel.
Outcome Depends on External Players
According to Medinsky, following the Abu Dhabi round, the sides have moved closer to a settlement, but currently, "a great deal depends on all participants in the process." He named Ukraine's position, Washington's actions, and whether "Europe recovers its senses" as key factors. At the same time, the Russian negotiator did not mention any specific steps that Russia itself could take to advance toward peace, limiting himself to the assertion that Moscow will fulfill all the tasks set before it.
Agenda: Security Architecture and Prisoner Swap
As RBC-Ukraine previously reported, the central topic of the talks in Abu Dhabi was the European security system. According to Medinsky's assessment, the parties managed to reach mutual understanding on a number of issues. Agency sources indicated that the first day discussed the future security architecture, security guarantees for Europe, Ukraine, and Russia, as well as the possibility of a major prisoner exchange.
Preparation and Composition of Delegations
Prior to the meeting, Russia renewed the composition of the delegation taking part in the trilateral negotiations with Ukraine and the US. As observers note, the composition of the participants can reveal much about the Kremlin's plans for the upcoming round. Earlier, Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Abu Dhabi is the venue for the new round and emphasized that mediation in such a complex process must be conducted "quietly," without "megaphone diplomacy" and public discussion of proposals.
