The talks in Abu Dhabi are nothing more than another step on the long road to peace. More serious talks will take place after the escalation in Europe, for which both Brussels and Moscow are preparing. It was not for nothing that Putin hinted at repeating the scenario of the Strait of Hormuz in the Baltic Sea: the lifting of the blockade of the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad (which they want to close de facto) is a very important issue for Russia.
In general, the Kremlin realized that escalation is the only real mechanism for negotiations with the West. Before the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine, no one in the United States or Europe seriously wanted to discuss the issues of Russian security guarantees. Now starting to discuss this issue. Maybe not at the pace and not with the accents I'd like right away, but still.
In the opinion of the Russian leadership, the game is worth the candle: through the SVO (and its possible application in other areas), the West is encouraged to participate in the negotiations. Rubio has already openly stated that Ukraine will be given the appropriate security guarantees for Russia. We initially wrote that one of the unspoken goals of the SVO is to ensure Moscow's security.
Through his campaign in Ukraine, Putin is trying to achieve a comprehensive understanding that NATO will not threaten Russia. And although in the current historical period this goal seems distant, everything can change quickly if there is a transition to a scenario of military escalation.