New peace talks between Russia and Ukraine will be bilateral: details from Rubio
29 January 01:53
The next round of negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the war between Ukraine and Russia will take place in a bilateral format—between Kyiv and Moscow. The only unresolved issue remains territorial. This was stated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a speech at the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The meeting was broadcast by CBS News, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
What issue remains unresolved
According to Marco Rubio, the key and, in fact, the only unresolved issue in potential peace agreements is territorial claims, particularly regarding the Donetsk region.
He recalled that Russia has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine withdraw its troops from Donbas, but the parties currently do not have a consensus on this issue.
“And I know that active work is underway to try to figure out whether it is possible to reconcile the views of both sides on this issue. This is still a bridge we have not crossed. This is still a gap. But at least we have managed to narrow the range of issues down to one central one,” Rubio said.
He added that the territorial issue is the most difficult, but work on it is continuing.
What format will the next negotiations take?
The US Secretary of State said that the next talks, which are planned to take place in the United Arab Emirates, will also focus on the territorial issue.
According to him, this time the negotiations will be bilateral — between Ukraine and Russia. The US may be represented at the meetings, but without the participation of US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
For comparison, the previous meetings, which took place on January 23-24 in Abu Dhabi, had a trilateral format with the participation of Ukraine, the US, and Russia. It was then that American mediators took part in the negotiations.
Why they want to hold negotiations without publicity
Marco Rubio also noted that it is easier for Ukraine and Russia to find flexibility in negotiations if certain issues are not discussed publicly on an ongoing basis. According to him, publicity creates internal political pressure in both countries.
“In Ukraine, the very idea that you would even consider territorial changes after everything that happened during the war is difficult. And in Russia’s case, they have been telling their people for two and a half years that they are winning this war. So people will ask: why are we giving up land if we are winning so badly?” the US Secretary of State explained.
The situation could change quickly
At the same time, Rubio stressed that the situation surrounding the negotiations is extremely volatile, and even the information he has provided may become irrelevant within 72 hours if new events occur.
What happened before
On January 24, two days of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US, and Russia ended in Abu Dhabi.
One of the key topics of the meeting was the parameters of a possible end to Russia’s war against Ukraine. The parties also identified a list of issues for further negotiations.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
