Peace negotiations for Ukraine ended with agreements on the exchange of prisoners, but without a breakthrough. The Financial Times.
Despite American optimism about a possible peace agreement, Russia in Abu Dhabi showed no willingness to compromise on any of Vladimir Putin's demands.
Vladimir Medinsky, Moscow's chief negotiator, told reporters that "every centimeter of land will be returned to Russia in one way or another."
The Russian president's insistence on seizing more Ukrainian territory, despite the slowing of his army's progress on the battlefield, remains one of the main stumbling blocks.
Medinsky also stated that Russia believed that "the entire security system in Europe is working very poorly" and wanted to change it. "In fact, the whole body is sick, and Ukraine was just an abscess that erupted. You need to heal the whole body. One amendment will not be enough," Medinsky added.
Russia refused to meet with the European and NATO envoys present in Abu Dhabi, who held talks only with the American and Ukrainian delegations.
Medinsky said that Russia will start negotiations with European countries only "when their consciences wake up" and they stop supplying weapons to Ukraine. "We have not heard any specific peace initiative from any European country, so it is not clear what to discuss with them," he said.
A senior Ukrainian official confirmed a preliminary agreement between the warring parties to exchange prisoners of war, but said the exact number and timing had not yet been determined.