Kostenko: Russia's Abu Dhabi Talks Are a Stalling Tactic, Not a Path to Peace

Ukrainian Lawmaker's Assessment of the Negotiations

According to Главком: In a recent interview with Channel 24, Roman Kostenko, a Ukrainian MP, Secretary of the Parliamentary Defense Committee, and SBU Colonel, argued that Russia is not genuinely prepared to end the war. He contends that Moscow is merely simulating negotiations to buy time. These comments follow trilateral talks held in Abu Dhabi on January 23-24, involving delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States.

Delegation Rosters for the Abu Dhabi Meeting

The Ukrainian delegation included:

• National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov
• Head of the President's Office Kyrylo Budanov
• Head of the 'Servant of the People' parliamentary faction David Arakhamia
• Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Serhiy Kyslytsia

The U.S. side was represented by:

• Special Envoy Steve Witkoff
• Jared Kushner
• Josh Gruenbaum
• General Daniel Driscoll
• General Alex Grinkevich

The Russian delegation also included representatives from its military intelligence and armed forces.

Kostenko emphasized that he sees no realistic path to ending the war at this moment.

"An end to the war? Definitely not, I don't see it. Anything is possible, but I don't see it,"

he stated.

He further suggested a potential motive for Russia's engagement, speculating that it might be an attempt to maintain the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump.

"To keep Trump's focus, so that he thinks that [Putin] might supposedly agree to something,"

Kostenko said.

These remarks highlight deep-seated skepticism in Kyiv about Moscow's true intentions, a concern shared by many international partners. The comments underscore the view that despite diplomatic engagements, the conflict remains volatile, and a resolution is not imminent. For Western observers, this analysis points to the critical need for sustained pressure on Russia and robust support for Ukraine's defense and diplomatic positions.