On February 2, Volodymyr Zelensky held a coordination meeting with members of the Ukrainian delegation who will go to the negotiations in Abu Dhabi. The meeting included Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov, Head of the President's Office Kyrylo Budanov, his First Deputy Serhiy Kyslytsia, Chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov, and Advisor to the Head of the President's Office Oleksandr Bevz.
According to Zelensky, he outlined the framework of the negotiation process and set specific tasks for the team for the upcoming meetings.
“We are ready for real steps. We are convinced that we can achieve a decent and lasting peace. The parties have agreed on a bilateral document on security guarantees with the United States and are counting on productive cooperation on issues of reconstruction and economic development,” the president noted.
Zelensky expressed hope that the U.S. will continue to actively participate in creating conditions for a successful negotiation process. He added that the de-escalation measures initiated last Friday night contribute to increasing trust in the negotiations and their outcomes.
“The war must be ended. I thank everyone who is providing assistance,” he emphasized.
The new round of trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia is scheduled for February 4-5 in Abu Dhabi. It is expected that U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will also participate in these discussions.
After the previous negotiations held in the UAE on January 23-24, Western media reported that the issue of the future of Donbas remains open. According to reports, the U.S. is ready to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine but emphasizes the need for a political resolution of territorial issues after the signing of a peace agreement.
