"Negotiations will continue, and further progress is expected in the coming weeks," claims Steve Witkoff – Agreement reached for exchange of 314 prisoners of war
With negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, in the presence of the US, continuing for a second consecutive day in Abu Dhabi, and with leaks describing productive and positive talks, sources report that Russia has revealed its primary demand for a "grand bargain" with Ukraine. Specifically, it is reported that Russia views the recognition of the Donbas as Russian territory by all countries as a central component of a potential "grand bargain" for Ukraine. A Western source revealed that Moscow places particular emphasis on the recognition of the Donbas as Russian and considers it one of the fundamental elements of future agreements.
Fundamental prerequisite
Russia has set a new condition for signing a peace agreement with Ukraine. As reported by Russian media, citing a Western source in Abu Dhabi, Moscow demands that, within the framework of the peace treaty, there must be not only the surrender of the Donbas but also its recognition as Russian by "all countries." "For the Russian side, this dimension—the recognition of the Donbas by all countries—is considered very important," the source said. It is not clarified what is meant by the term "all countries." It likely refers to the countries currently participating in the negotiations, namely the US and Ukraine, or Russia may be seeking broader international recognition at the UN level.
The status of security guarantees
The same source also told reporters that security guarantees for Ukraine might involve not the deployment of peacekeepers, but a rapid reaction of multinational forces. Earlier, the Financial Times had written about a similar guarantee scenario: in the event of a new invasion by Russia, Ukrainian forces would participate in the first phase, followed by a "coalition of the willing," and then the US. It is noted that officially, no one has confirmed this procedure.
Witkoff (US): Talks productive, much work remains
Referring to the talks, the US special envoy Steve Witkoff characterized the negotiations between the delegations of Russia, the US, and Ukraine as productive, pointing out that significant work remains to reach a settlement. He stated that further progress is expected in the negotiations between the two parties in the coming weeks. "Negotiations will continue, and further progress is expected in the coming weeks," Witkoff stated in a post on X, noting that the delegations of Ukraine and Russia agreed to the exchange of 314 prisoners of war.
Joint communiqué
At the same time, Russian media, citing sources, report that following today’s results of the negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine, the US, and Russia in Abu Dhabi, official statements and a joint communiqué are expected.
Productive talks
Following the conclusion of the first day of the new round of negotiations, the head of the Ukrainian delegation and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, stated that the meeting was productive. He mentioned that the parties focused on practical steps and the search for specific solutions. "The work was substantial and productive, oriented toward specific steps and practical solutions," said Umerov. According to him, the Ukrainian delegation is preparing a report for the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, following the negotiations.
Rubio's intervention
For his part, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, commenting on the progress of the consultations, noted that despite some progress, the most difficult issues remain on the negotiation agenda. According to him, these issues include the territorial aspects of the conflict and the security guarantees for Kyiv. Rubio also emphasized that the list of unresolved problems has been significantly reduced; however, the main issues have not yet found a final solution. He underscored that these continue to complicate the negotiation process while military actions persist.
ABC: White House calls talks productive
In the United States, the trilateral negotiations on Ukraine that took place on Wednesday, February 4, in Abu Dhabi are considered productive, as reported by ABC News, citing an anonymous White House official. "Trilateral negotiations between the teams of the US, Ukraine, and Russia resumed in the UAE on Thursday, February 5, following meetings on Wednesday, which, according to a White House official, were productive," ABC reports.
Russia’s assessment
Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian President's special envoy for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, also assessed the first day of negotiations. He stated that work is underway in Abu Dhabi to restore Russian-American relations, including in the economic sector. According to him, work in this field is being conducted alongside the administration of US President Donald Trump. Dmitriev clarified that the Russian-American group for economic cooperation held a separate meeting in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, February 5. Furthermore, Dmitriev expressed the view that efforts by European countries to intervene in the negotiation process may indicate that progress is being made. As previously reported by sources, during the negotiations, the delegations of Russia, Ukraine, and the US are discussing a wide range of issues. At the center are the economic aspects of a potential agreement, territorial disputes, and ceasefire mechanisms.
Dzhabarov (Russia): Kyiv is not interested in peace
Russia is doing everything possible to continue the negotiation process for Ukraine, while the behavior of the negotiators from Kyiv shows they are not interested in peace, stated Vladimir Dzhabarov, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on the Protection of State Sovereignty. "Regarding the negotiations... our country is doing everything to continue this process. And, most importantly, for it to be effective. Unfortunately, the way the negotiators from the Kyiv side are behaving shows that peace is not necessary for them. Because both Zelensky and his entire team understand very well that the only condition for this regime’s existence is the continuation of the war," Dzhabarov pointed out. As he said, "in the event of achieving peace, Zelensky will primarily have to account to his own people: where he led Ukraine, what he achieved, and how he will answer for the tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of lost lives of young people, for whom he feels no pity, as for him they are simply material." Furthermore, he noted that Zelensky does not hide that he is conducting negotiations under pressure from the United States, which, as he stressed, is apparent to everyone. "And his latest statement, that if we stop at the freeze line of the conflict as it is now, this will constitute a major concession on our part. What is his concession? We conquered these territories, we advanced, and we will advance even further if necessary. So what is his concession? I think he is bluffing," the Russian politician stated. He expressed hope that the negotiations would break the deadlock. "But it seems to me that Ukraine is not ready for this," Dzhabarov concluded.
End of war in 2027
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that he hopes the conflict will end in the near future. In an interview with the French channel France 2, he expressed hope that a peaceful settlement will be achieved no later than the beginning of 2027. Additionally, Zelensky mentioned the potential preparation of a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine. According to him, corresponding steps may be taken soon, though he did not specify a timeline. The Ukrainian leader also emphasized that the settlement of the conflict must be "realistic." He underscored the need for security guarantees for Kyiv and called on Western partners to increase pressure on Moscow.
Politico: Shock from Finland – No security guarantees similar to NATO Article 5
The Finnish authorities do not agree with formulations for security guarantees for Ukraine similar to Article 5 of the NATO charter used by American officials, as reported by Politico. The report states that Helsinki believes providing such guarantees would undermine the mutual defense provision of the Alliance members. According to Politico, citing internal State Department correspondence from January 20, the Finnish position is supported by several other countries. "The use of the term 'Article 5' in other cases implies NATO involvement, which in reality is not part of any of the proposed agreements. Finland and many other NATO member states want it to be clear that Article 5 is unique to NATO," said former Alliance official Edward Wrong. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen called for the creation of a "protective barrier" between NATO and future security guarantees for Ukraine. "Valtonen warned against any proposals regarding security guarantees for post-war Ukraine similar to Article 5... She warned that this could cause confusion between NATO Article 5 guarantees and bilateral commitments to Ukraine," Politico points out, citing the State Department correspondence. At the same time, Finland warns of a "weak" peace agreement for Ukraine, which could prevent the country from protecting itself from a potential future invasion. A Finnish source assured that the country's long-term position is Ukraine's accession to NATO. However, Finnish leaders are currently not ready to agree to security guarantees for Ukraine.
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