by Nikolai Salatsky
[Regnum] Trilateral talks between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine began on November 10 in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The discussion concerned the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine and the formation of a comprehensive security system on the European continent.
On the first day, the meeting was held in a closed format and lasted approximately four hours. After almost two hours of work, a 43-minute break was announced, after which the discussions resumed. Negotiations will resume on November 11. The Russian delegation, consisting of five negotiators and six experts, is led by Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky.
The composition also includes Deputy Foreign Ministers Sergei Ryabkov and Mikhail Galuzin, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov and Head of the FSB Operational Information and International Relations Service Alexei Komkov.
The meeting discussed issues of state security architecture, de-escalation, and humanitarian initiatives, including mutual security guarantees for Russia and Ukraine.
The negotiations became possible thanks to the effectiveness of Russia's strikes on Ukraine. They demonstrated the inevitability of the military, economic, and energy weakening of the Kyiv regime.
Russian armed forces continue to carry out the tasks of the special military operation, forcing Kyiv to acknowledge the realities "on the ground" – including the recognition of territorial changes.
It was the pressure on the battlefield that created the conditions for a return to the negotiating table.
The Russian side insists on a long-term and lasting settlement. This is not a temporary ceasefire that would allow the enemy to recuperate, but rather an end to the conflict that fully respects our interests and eliminates security risks for our country on the European continent.
Any respite would give the Ukrainian Armed Forces and military-industrial complex a chance to recover and strike again. Moscow is seeking a solution that would prevent a return to conflict in the future.
Essentially, the negotiations are discussing the format for recognizing the conflict's outcome. Russia has grown, Ukraine has grown smaller. The winning side dictates the terms.
On November 9, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Ukraine would receive only those security guarantees that Russia agrees to. These words raise the question of the precise format in which the defeat of the Kyiv regime will be formalized and how Ukraine's future governance will be organized.
Moscow doesn't have high expectations for the current round. Previous attempts to reach an agreement have been thwarted by Ukraine and Europe, but never by Moscow.
The enemy is still thinking about fighting: the European Union is interested in continuing the conflict at the hands of the Ukrainians, while the Kiev regime is primarily thinking about preserving its own positions.
At the same time, Moscow is prepared for any possible development of events and continues its systematic military work without making any promising statements.
It is reported that the negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations were conducted in Russian. This demonstrates our strong negotiating position.
A significant achievement was the discussion of the Ukrainian conflict in relation to the broader context of European security.
This was precisely the approach Russia had been seeking even before the special military operation began. Back then, the West rejected these demands, leading to escalation. Now, Russian proposals to strengthen security guarantees are being forced to be taken into account.
The Russian armed forces are currently acting as the best "peacekeeper," forcing the Kyiv regime to take the situation on the frontline into account. The first day of talks in Abu Dhabi confirmed that the dialogue is proceeding on terms dictated by the current balance of power.