The United States has proposed that Russia agree to a deal providing Ukraine with security guarantees similar to those outlined in Articles 4 and 5 of the NATO treaty. However, no agreement is expected to be reached during the talks in Abu Dhabi, which are intended to clarify the parties’ positions and lay the groundwork for further negotiations.
This was reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Alex Raufoglu on X following a closed-door telephone briefing held by US officials for journalists.
According to Raufoglu, the United States wants to move beyond trilateral talks toward a broader multilateral format involving European countries.
Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy, along with representatives of NATO, the EU and Ukraine, are expected to join discussions on security guarantees and Europe’s postwar security architecture.
Security guarantees for Ukraine will be a central issue. US officials said Washington had proposed that Moscow agree to an arrangement providing Ukraine with protection similar to that outlined in Articles 4 and 5 of the NATO treaty.
At the same time, any US commitments will ultimately depend on President Donald Trump’s decision. One US official also stressed that Europe should bear the financial burden.
The territorial issue remains unresolved. Russia continues to demand control over the entire Donetsk region, while Ukraine insists on maintaining the current line of contact.
According to US officials, both sides have shown some flexibility in private discussions. However, Washington emphasizes that territorial issues and postwar security arrangements must be discussed in parallel and ultimately resolved together.
No agreement is expected to be reached during the Abu Dhabi talks. The main purpose of the meeting is to clarify the parties’ positions, identify remaining disagreements and lay the groundwork for further negotiations.
US officials described their outlook for the negotiating process as “cautiously optimistic.” They also suggested that further meetings with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy could take place in the near future, depending on the progress achieved.
