Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on the central questions of territory and postwar security, despite renewed U.S.-mediated negotiations in Abu Dhabi and follow-up meetings involving American envoys, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The latest round produced an agreement in principle on a major prisoner exchange, but no breakthrough on the territorial demands that have repeatedly blocked a wider settlement.
The dispute centres on the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow wants Kyiv to withdraw from territory it still controls, while Ukraine says surrendering land would threaten its sovereignty and leave the country exposed to another invasion. The two sides also disagree over the form and strength of security guarantees that would be needed to make any ceasefire or peace agreement durable.
Donbas Remains The Hardest Issue To Resolve
Russia continues to demand that Ukraine withdraw from the parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions that remain under Ukrainian control. Moscow has declared the two regions, along with Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, part of the Russian Federation, although it does not control all the territory it claims. Ukraine and most countries reject those annexation claims as illegal.
Donetsk is particularly important because it contains a fortified line of towns and cities, including Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, that have served as key defensive positions for Ukraine. Reuters has reported that a Russian advance into the remaining Ukrainian-held area could open routes towards the Dnipro River and expose other parts of the country to further military pressure.
Kyiv argues that giving up the territory would not end the war but would allow Russian forces to regroup and prepare for another offensive. Zelenskyy has said that any change to Ukraine’s borders must be decided by Ukrainians and that the constitution does not allow the president to surrender territory through a bilateral agreement alone.
Security Guarantees Are Another Major Sticking Point
Ukraine wants legally binding security guarantees that would provide meaningful protection against another Russian attack. Kyiv has argued that a ceasefire without credible guarantees could simply give Moscow time to rebuild its forces. European governments have discussed military assistance, training, intelligence sharing and other measures that could support Ukraine after a settlement.
Russia rejects Ukraine’s potential NATO membership and has objected to the deployment of European troops in the country. Putin warned on November 13 that European peacekeepers would be treated as a continuation of the conflict, according to The Guardian. That position sharply contrasts with Kyiv’s demand for guarantees that can be enforced if Russia violates an agreement.
Moscow has also proposed a wider European security framework. Russian diplomat Alexey Drobinin told Reuters that possible arrangements could include bilateral non-aggression pacts between Russia and individual NATO members, political commitments not to support one another’s adversaries and broader mutual-assistance agreements. European governments have questioned whether such proposals would protect Ukraine or instead give Russia a greater say over the security choices of neighbouring countries.
Washington Is Trying To Bridge Competing Positions
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have been shuttling between Moscow and Kyiv in an effort to narrow differences. The latest talks in Abu Dhabi were the first trilateral discussions in nine months. U.S. officials described the meetings as substantive, but the parties have not announced an agreement on territory, a ceasefire or the long-term status of occupied regions.
Earlier reports said Washington had considered a proposal under which parts of Donbas could become a demilitarised or free economic zone. The idea would require agreement on who governs the area, how security is enforced and whether Russian or Ukrainian forces would be allowed to operate there. Ukraine has said that any arrangement must not leave the territory vulnerable to a new Russian takeover.
The United States is also seeking to keep European partners involved. Kushner said Russia and Ukraine had agreed in principle to include European countries in the next round of talks, while Zelenskyy welcomed a role for the continent. However, Moscow has not clearly confirmed the proposed format, and European governments are still discussing how they should be represented.
Prisoner Exchange Offers A Limited Humanitarian Opening
The one area of progress from the latest discussions is a proposed large prisoner exchange. Kushner said the United States was working towards what he described as the largest exchange of the war, potentially involving thousands of people. The number of detainees, the lists of those to be released and the timetable have not been finalised.
The proposed exchange is important for families and prisoners, but it does not resolve the territorial or security disputes. Previous swaps have shown that the two sides can reach limited humanitarian agreements even while fighting continues. A successful exchange could create confidence for further steps, but it should not be mistaken for a ceasefire or a wider peace deal.
What A Durable Agreement Would Need
Any settlement would need to address several difficult questions: the status of occupied territory, the security arrangements for Ukraine, the future of sanctions, reconstruction funding, the return of displaced people and the monitoring of a ceasefire. It would also need a mechanism for investigating violations and responding if either side breaks its commitments.
European governments have argued that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must remain central to negotiations. The European Council’s November 10 statement with Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and NATO said any future arrangements must respect Ukraine’s right to make independent decisions and provide credible security guarantees.
The practical difficulty is that Russia wants a settlement that limits Ukraine’s future military and political choices, while Ukraine wants guarantees that preserve its independence and prevent renewed aggression. Those positions are not easily reconciled, and a formula that satisfies one side but is rejected by the other is unlikely to produce a lasting peace.
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The territorial dispute remains the central obstacle because it is not simply a question of drawing a line on a map. For Ukraine, the remaining parts of Donetsk and Luhansk are tied to national sovereignty, military defence and the safety of communities that have resisted Russian occupation. For Moscow, control of the Donbas is part of its wider demand to reshape Ukraine’s security and political alignment.
A settlement that requires Ukraine to withdraw without enforceable guarantees could create a fragile pause rather than a durable peace. Conversely, an agreement that leaves Russia with no credible path to address its stated security concerns may be rejected by the Kremlin. The challenge for mediators is to separate legitimate security arrangements from demands that would deny Ukraine the right to choose its own future.
The proposed prisoner exchange is a meaningful humanitarian step, but the absence of progress on territory shows how far the negotiations still have to go. The next round will be judged by whether it produces concrete proposals, transparent commitments and a credible monitoring framework. Without those elements, diplomacy risks becoming a parallel process to a war that continues to cost lives and destroy infrastructure.
Sources And Further Reading
- Reuters: Kushner Says U.S. Working Toward Largest Prisoner Exchange Of Russia’s War In Ukraine — latest account of the Abu Dhabi talks and unresolved territorial issues.
- The Associated Press: Russia And Ukraine Agree To A Large Prisoner Exchange As Talks End Without Major Breakthrough — confirmation that territory and security guarantees remain unresolved.
- The Guardian: Europe To Join Ukraine Negotiations, Says Kushner, As Putin Rejects Peacekeepers — Moscow’s position on European forces and the wider security debate.
- Reuters: Russian Diplomat Says Moscow Could Conclude Non-Aggression Pacts With NATO Members — Russia’s proposed wider European security framework.
- Reuters: Why The Fate Of Donetsk Is A Sticking Point In Talks To End The War — strategic importance of the remaining Ukrainian-held territory.
- Financial Times: Trump Pushes For A Free Economic Zone In Donbas, Says Zelenskyy — background on proposals for demilitarised or special economic arrangements.
- European Council: Statement On The Abu Dhabi Meeting — official European position on sovereignty and security guarantees.
- President Of Ukraine: Zelenskyy Discusses The Latest Negotiations With U.S. Envoys — official Ukrainian statement, November 13, 2026.