The second day of high-stakes, U.S.-mediated trilateral peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States has concluded in Abu Dhabi.
Russian, Ukrainian and US officials began a second day of peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, resuming meetings which Kyiv and Washington depicted on Monday as constructive but produced no early signs of a breakthrough.
“We are starting the second day of the talks,” Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s top negotiator, said on the Telegram app. “First, there will be a trilateral format with the United States and Russia. After that, we will have a separate meeting with the European partners.”
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators gave no details after Monday’s US-brokered talks, the first between the two warring sides since February, and Moscow and Kyiv went into the talks far apart on terms for a possible settlement.
Core Agenda & Key Updates from Round-2:
Following Tuesday’s opening session—which focused heavily on humanitarian steps and security frameworks—day-two discussions pivoted toward a potential ceasefire framework, critical energy infrastructure security, and stability in the Black Sea.
The Prisoner Exchange Push:
Building on momentum from the first day, negotiators continued hammering out details for a prospective large-scale prisoner-of-war swap involving upwards of 1,000 to 1,500 detainees from each side, viewed by Kyiv as an immediate priority.
Persistent Stumbling Blocks:
Deep structural divisions remain. While the U.S. delegation—including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner—pushed for durable security architecture, Moscow has continued to condition comprehensive breakthroughs on its territorial demands in eastern Ukraine, alongside friction regarding the direct inclusion of European allies in the broader security track.
Next Steps:
Following the conclusion of Wednesday’s sessions, U.S. mediators are reportedly weighing direct follow-up diplomatic visits to capitals in the region as they look to transition working-level agreements into a formal path toward de-escalation.
