Ukraine rejected the territorial compromise with Russia proposed by US negotiators, which involved a redrawing of the administrative boundaries of the Donbas. The idea was that Moscow could formally declare that it had achieved its objective — full control over the region — whilst Ukrainian troops would remain in the towns they currently hold. Kyiv insists that it will not recognise the Russian occupation of Ukrainian territories.
- Ukraine has rejected the US proposal to redraw the borders of the Donbas, according to The Telegraph.
- The initiative would allow Russia to formally declare that it has full control over the region.
- The Ukrainian cities currently held by the Armed Forces of Ukraine were to remain under Kyiv’s control.
- Russia continues to demand the handover of approximately 5,000 square kilometres of unoccupied territory.
- Sources within the Ukrainian delegation deny that changes to administrative boundaries were discussed during the talks in Abu Dhabi.
The US has proposed an unusual compromise regarding the Donbas
Representatives of the administration Donald Trump were looking for a way to resolve the disputes surrounding the territorial issue, which remains one of the main obstacles to ending the war.
The American proposal envisaged a change to the administrative boundaries of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. This would have allowed the Kremlin to claim complete the occupation of the Donbas without the actual handover to Russia of the towns that remain under Ukrainian control.
According to its authors’ plan, this approach could have enabled Moscow to declare that it had met its territorial demands whilst at the same time avoiding the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from unoccupied areas.
However, according to the British publication, the Ukrainian side did not agree to the proposed option.
Kyiv refuses to recognise the Russian occupation
According to *The Telegraph*, Moscow continues to demand the handover of approximately 5,000 square kilometres of territory in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which the Russian army has been unable to capture.
A source speaking to the publication, who is familiar with the position of the Ukrainian negotiators, emphasised that Kyiv had not discussed recognising Russia’s territorial gains, either de facto or de jure.
At the same time, reports regarding the US initiative itself remain contradictory. On 10 November, a TSN source within the Ukrainian delegation denied that, on the first day, negotiations In Abu Dhabi, US representatives put forward a proposal to change the administrative boundaries of the Donbas. This information was also reported by Interfax-Ukraine.
Reports in *The Economist* and *The Telegraph* refer to an idea which, according to their sources, was being considered by US negotiators, although there is no confirmation that it was officially included on the meeting’s agenda.
The territorial issue remains an obstacle to the negotiations
On 10 November, trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia resumed in Abu Dhabi following a lengthy hiatus. The US delegation is represented by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
On the eve of the meeting, Donald Trump stated that, once the war is over, Ukraine’s borders might be slightly different. US officials have also reported a degree of flexibility on the part of both sides regarding territorial issues; however, the public positions of Kyiv and Moscow remain at odds.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine is not prepared to cede to Russia the part of the Donbas that Russia was unable to capture by military means.
During the talks in Abu Dhabi, the parties are also discussing security guarantees and the possibility of a ceasefire. The prospect of further agreements depends to a large extent on reaching a consensus on these issues.
