Russia and Ukraine held "direct dialogue" during the recently concluded talks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), although no concrete agreements or joint statements were announced after the two-day meetings.
A UAE government spokesperson stated that the talks included "direct dialogue" between the two sides and took place in a "constructive and positive atmosphere."
The Russian delegation returned to the hotel after nearly three hours of closed-door talks on control of Donbas and security measures at the end of the war.
A source told the Russian news agency TASS that it's impossible to say there are no results, as there are, though the source did not specify them. The source also noted that there is a possibility the second round will be held in the coming days.
According to a source who previously told the TASS news agency, Russians and Ukrainians today studied several documents on "territory, security guarantees and other aspects" of the peaceful settlement of the conflict.
Both sides and the mediators acknowledged on Friday that the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas is the main obstacle in the trilateral negotiations.
"This issue remains the most complex. The withdrawal of the Ukrainian army from Donbas is important for Russia. Various security parameters are being considered for this purpose," an official source told TASS today.
The meetings were attended by US presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Russian military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov, Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, as well as other senior officials from both the Russian and Ukrainian sides.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on social media that the negotiations involved military representatives from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, and focused on "possible parameters for ending the war."
Meanwhile, according to media reports, further trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are likely to take place next week in the UAE. These talks were held amidst ongoing fighting in Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities asserted that Russian forces carried out large-scale drone and missile attacks in several regions, including Kyiv, during the period of the talks.
According to previous statements from the UAE, the meeting was part of diplomatic efforts to promote dialogue and explore possible political solutions to the Ukraine crisis.
The AU President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during a meeting with the heads of participating delegations on Friday, indicated that the country supports all efforts and initiatives aimed at achieving a solution to the Ukraine crisis for the benefit of all parties and promoting peace and stability throughout the world.
