Donbas Dispute at the Heart of Russia-Ukraine-US Trilateral Talks
Donbas: The Core of Russia-Ukraine Talks
The Russian-Ukrainian peace negotiations currently being held in Abu Dhabi focus their attention on one specific territory, which serves as the main area of dispute between the two parties. The eastern Ukrainian region remains a battleground because of its valuable resources, which include coal and steel, its productive agricultural land, and its vital position that links to the Sea of Azov.
Russia considers Donetsk and Luhansk to be its essential territorial objectives in Donbas, while Kyiv remains inflexible. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made it clear: “It’s all about the eastern part of our country, it’s all about the land.”
According to Russian officials, permanent peace remains impossible until both sides reach a resolution to their dispute over territorial claims. Russian officials Yury Ushakov and Dmitry Peskov have both confirmed their position regarding this matter.
The upcoming negotiations will determine whether Donbas functions as a peace agreement tool or serves as the conflict’s new combat zone. The outcome will depend on the results of the Abu Dhabi negotiations.
The peace discussions, taking place in Abu Dhabi, involve representatives from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. The talks are expected to conclude on Saturday.
US delegation: Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner
Ukraine delegation: Rustem Umerov, Andrii Hnatov, Kyrylo Budanov
Russia delegation: Adm. Igor Kostyukov, Kirill Dmitriev, and other defence ministry officials
The day before the Abu Dhabi peace talks began, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky opened the Davos forum by accusing Europe of remaining inactive while the war continued following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The peace deal, which he described as “nearly complete,” left people in doubt about his decision to make Donbas territorial control a determining factor in the agreement.
Zelensky held a one-hour private meeting with US President Donald Trump. Trump later described the meeting as successful and suggested that both parties had begun making compromises.
The entire world is watching closely to see whether Europe will increase its support for Ukraine and how Trump’s involvement might influence the situation. The peace agreement faces a major threat from the unresolved situation in Donbas.
The diplomats preparing for their mission in Abu Dhabi faced a situation where the Ukrainian situation remained unfavorably challenging. Russia increased its military attacks, which resulted in three deaths in Kharkiv and four additional deaths in eastern territories. The energy infrastructure suffered extensive damage, which resulted in all major cities, including Kyiv, experiencing power outages. The power and heating failures created an emergency situation that needed to be addressed urgently at the negotiation table. Can the Abu Dhabi negotiations advance faster than the ongoing bombings in the area? The situation in Donbas and other regions will continue to hinder all diplomatic initiatives.
(With Inputs)
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Aishwarya is a journalism graduate with over three years of experience thriving in the buzzing corporate media world. She’s got a knack for decoding business news, tracking the twists and turns of the stock market, covering the masala of the entertainment world, and sometimes her stories come with just the right sprinkle of political commentary. She has worked with several organizations, interned at ZEE and gained professional skills at TV9 and News24, And now is learning and writing at NewsX, she’s no stranger to the newsroom hustle. Her storytelling style is fast-paced, creative, and perfectly tailored to connect with both the platform and its audience. Moto: Approaching every story from the reader’s point of view, backing up her insights with solid facts.
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