Ukraine and the US considered a demilitarized zone in the east of the country: new details of the talks in Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, receives the heads of delegations participating in the UAE-hosted trilateral talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine, including Jared Kushner, Igor Kostyukov, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, and Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, January 23, 2026. Hamad Ryan Carter/UAE Presidential Court/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY
Representatives of Ukraine and the United States held talks in Abu Dhabi on the possible deployment of a peacekeeping mission in the temporarily occupied part of the Donetsk region. During the talks, the parties discussed options for creating a demilitarized zone and involving neutral forces.
This is reported by journalists of The New York Times .
According to the publication, at meetings in Abu Dhabi, Ukrainian and American delegations considered the possibility of deploying a peacekeeping contingent from neutral countries in Donbas. This option was discussed as an alternative to NATO forces, the presence of which the Kremlin opposes.
Journalists note that the issue of the peacekeeping mission was discussed in the broader context of negotiations between Ukraine, the United States and Russia. One of the key topics was the creation of a demilitarized zone in eastern Ukraine.
At the same time, the Russian delegation, according to the publication, took a tough stance on the Donetsk region. Moscow insisted on the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the region.
The Russian side justifies its position by referring to the so-called “Alaska agreements,” which, according to the Kremlin, were reached in the summer between US President Donald Trump and Putin. According to this version, the agreements allegedly provide for the transfer of all territories of the region that remain under Ukrainian control to Russian control.
Journalists from The New York Times note that the Russian delegation rejects any other settlement scenarios, and the details of the so-called “Alaska deal” have not yet been made public.
The trilateral negotiations involving delegations from Ukraine, the United States, and Russia, which took place on January 23-24 in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, concluded yesterday. Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue the negotiation process.
According to sources, during the negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine, the United States and Russia in Abu Dhabi, the parties achieved greater progress on the military block of issues. At the same time, no agreements were reached on the territorial aspects .
The next round of trilateral talks involving the United States, Ukraine, and Russia will take place in Abu Dhabi on February 1. The parties will continue discussions after previous meetings, which the American side called productive.
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