On February 4, Ukrainian, Russian and American representatives met in the United Arab Emirates for the second round of trilateral negotiations to work towards a peace deal. The day prior, Russia launched an attack against Ukraine’s power grid. These discussions took about five and a half hours to conduct.
The notable attendees included Rustem Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security Council; Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s chief of staff; Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s envoy; Daniel P. Driscoll, the U.S. Army secretary and members of Russian military intelligence.
These negotiations represent President Trump’s efforts to work towards ending Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing since 2022. Unfortunately, the tensions remain high as Russia refuses to cede Ukrainian territory, and many Ukrainians remain without heat due to the recent energy attacks, which is especially difficult regarding this year’s harsh winter.
Part of the issue is lack of clarity on post-war security measures. Previously, Russia has stated that it will not allow the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine after the war for the sake of protection. However, following the recent discussions, Russia has stated that it may be amenable to some security measures.
Another point of contention is the irreconcilable goals of the two countries; Russia wants to control Ukraine’s political future, and Ukraine wants to protect its sovereignty. Furthermore, the damage done to Ukraine, including the infrastructure destruction and mass casualties, has led to resentment towards Russia, further negating efforts towards compromise.
Despite these concerns, the most recent discussions were productive, according to the representatives from each country. They primarily focused on a 20-point—U.S. backed peace resolution regarding territory control, protecting Ukraine from attacks, and post-war procedures. Stripping away the formalities, the only objective is to dissuade Vladimir Putin from his goal to control Ukraine. It is still unclear if any progress has been made on this front.
Amidst these negotiations, Russia launched an attack into the city of Druzhkivka, leaving seven dead and fifteen injured. That night, 24 Ukrainian drones were shot down. It is clear that the peace talks have not yet made an impact on the current trajectory of the war.
The conversation is still ongoing, with agreement from the respective parties to meet again for discussion. President Trump has been steadfast in his efforts to work towards a compromise to end not only the invasion but also the decade-long war. Neither Russia nor Ukraine wants to pull back its forces, but these negotiations were the first step to a long-awaited peace.
