Week of Ukraine peace talks spans Abu Dhabi, Moscow, Dublin

Peace negotiations to end the war in Ukraine have entered a new diplomatic phase, with talks held in Abu Dhabi, Moscow, and Dublin this week. US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin to push for European participation in negotiations, a point Russia resists. Ukrainian-Russian talks in Abu Dhabi produced a preliminary prisoner exchange agreement for 1,000-1,500 captives, but disagreements persist over occupied territories, security guarantees, and European defense architecture. Russia demands NATO security concessions and recognition of annexed territories, while rejecting demilitarized zones. Putin proposes a European security conference modeled on the 1945 Yalta and Potsdam summits, a suggestion Ukraine and European allies view skeptically. At the Dublin summit, EU leaders discussed Europe's role in peace talks and funding for Ukraine through 2027-2028.