Kirill Budanov, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, declined to reveal whether Russia continues to demand the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donbas during the peace talks in Abu Dhabi. He emphasised that the content of the discussions remains confidential, and that the public will be informed of any agreements reached once a concrete outcome has been achieved.
- Budanov did not reveal whether Russia continues to demand the withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the Donbas.
- The Head of the President’s Office emphasised the importance of achieving a concrete outcome from the negotiations.
- Arakhamia described the current round of talks as one of the most difficult since 2022.
Budanov refused to reveal Russia’s position on the Donbas
Whilst speaking to journalists in Abu Dhabi Kirill Budanov They asked whether Moscow’s demand for the withdrawal of the Ukrainian Defence Forces from the Donbas remained in force, or whether the Russian delegation had already abandoned this condition.
The Head of the President’s Office did not give a direct answer, explaining that the content of the talks is not open to public discussion until agreements have been reached.
«The issues raised during the negotiations are a matter for the negotiations themselves. Only the outcome matters. When we achieve it, it will be announced publicly,» said Budanov.
He therefore neither confirmed that Russia’s demand remained in place nor that Moscow’s position might have softened.
Arakhamia described the negotiations as some of the most difficult
Chair of the «Servant of the People» parliamentary group» David Arahamia, who is also taking part in the talks, said that the current round had been one of the most difficult in the entire diplomatic process.
According to him, the Russian representatives arrived with strict directives, which made it considerably more difficult to discuss possible compromises. At the same time, Arakhamia announced that an agreement had been reached on a major prisoner exchange. He also noted that, following the visit by the American negotiators to Moscow, the parties plan to discuss the date of their next meeting.
The territorial issue remains unresolved
Talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia took place in Abu Dhabi on 10–11 November. Key topics included a ceasefire, security guarantees, humanitarian issues and the terms of a possible peaceful settlement.
Moscow had previously insisted on the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donbas territories controlled by Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine was not prepared to cede these territories in order to reach a peace agreement.
Following the current round of talks, no official announcement has been made regarding any change in the parties’ positions on territorial issues.
