Ukraine, U.S. and Russia Hold First-Ever Joint Peace Talks — But Russia Still Insists on Donbas

By: Ebenezer Adu-Gyamfi / Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada 24/1/2026

For the first time since the full-scale war began in 2022, representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States met this week in Abu Dhabi for trilateral peace negotiations aiming to end the conflict.

The talks which lasted two days and were brokered by the United States brought together senior officials from all three countries in what was widely viewed as a symbolic and rare diplomatic engagement.

However, no breakthrough deal was reached. The biggest sticking point remains the future of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, which Russia continues to demand as a condition for any peace agreement.

Key developments from the talks:

🔹 Territorial dispute remains unresolved.
Moscow reiterated that it wants Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the industrial Donbas region, including the Donetsk and Luhansk areas a demand Kyiv has repeatedly rejected as unacceptable.

🔹 Ukraine refuses to give up land.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made it clear Ukraine will not surrender territory it still holds as part of a peace deal. Kyiv insists on credible security guarantees from the United States and other partners before agreeing to any settlement.

🔹 Talks end without a deal.
U.S.-brokered discussions concluded without an agreement, but officials said the atmosphere was constructive and further negotiations possibly involving direct leadership meetings   may happen soon.

🔹 Fighting continues.
Even as diplomats met, Russian military strikes against Ukrainian cities continued, underscoring the disconnect between battlefield realities and diplomatic efforts.

What happens next?
Negotiators indicated they would return to discussions, and U.S. officials suggested future rounds could take place in Europe or in Moscow and Kyiv. However, with such deep disagreements especially over control of Donbas analysts say long-term peace remains difficult to achieve without significant shifts in positions.