The Kremlin stated that the Abu Dhabi talks did not discuss the U.S. peace plan, and Trump will send an envoy to Moscow.
Based on the diplomatic dynamics among multiple parties in late January, analyze the latest positions, core differences, and strategic interactions among the United States, Russia, and Ukraine in the peace negotiation process of the Ukraine conflict, and assess the potential pathways and main obstacles to reaching an agreement in the short term.
Detail
Published
22/12/2025
Key Chapter Title List
- Abu Dhabi Talks Did Not Involve US Peace Plan
- Trump to Send Envoy to Present Proposal to Putin
- Russia's Preliminary Evaluation and Requirements for the Proposal
- Subsequent US-Russia Military-Level Contacts
- Trump's Stipulations for a Trilateral Leaders' Meeting
- Revision of Negotiation Draft and Ukraine's Position
- Russia's Attitude Towards Early Draft and European Proposal
- Ukraine Pushes for Zelensky-Trump Meeting
- Zelensky's Description and Expectations for the US-Ukraine Meeting
Document Introduction
This report focuses on a series of key diplomatic developments surrounding peace negotiations for the Ukraine conflict in late November 2025. Core events include talks between US and Russian officials in Abu Dhabi, US President Trump's announcement that he will dispatch envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow to present a peace proposal, and statements from relevant parties regarding the revision process of the negotiation draft. This series of interactions marks the US's renewed diplomatic push to end the nearly four-year-long conflict, following a period of stalled negotiations after the Trump-Putin Alaska summit in August.
The report details the positions and interactions of multiple parties. Russian Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Yuri Ushakov explicitly denied that the US peace plan was discussed during the Abu Dhabi talks, despite Moscow having received the latest draft. Russia's preliminary evaluation deemed "some aspects of the proposal could be seen as positive," but emphasized that "many elements require specialized discussion by experts," and noted that the earlier 28-point draft contained "main provisions" it considered acceptable but still needed "further revision." Meanwhile, US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll held a separate meeting with Russian representatives as a follow-up to US-Ukrainian officials' weekend talks in Geneva, with the US expressing optimism.
The negotiation draft itself has evolved. The initial 28-point plan was reduced to approximately 20 points. According to US officials, Ukraine has agreed to the revised framework, with only "minor details" remaining to be finalized. A senior official familiar with the matter told AFP that the latest version is "significantly better" for Kyiv than the original US draft. However, it remains uncertain whether Putin will accept the revised version. Furthermore, Moscow rejected a competing peace proposal drafted by European leaders, which more closely aligned with Kyiv's priorities.
At the leadership diplomacy level, Trump stated he hopes to meet with Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky "as soon as possible" once a peace agreement is "finalized or in its final stages." Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov indicated that Kyiv officials are pushing for an "early" meeting between Zelensky and Trump. Zelensky described his previous meeting with Trump as "candid," during which he had hoped to obtain Tomahawk missiles for deep strikes inside Russia.
This report is based on an integrated analysis of official statements, media reports, and disclosures from informed sources around November 26, 2025. It aims to provide researchers with an immediate assessment of the current state of the negotiation deadlock, the strategic calculations of all parties, and potential breakthrough points. The report's content strictly adheres to publicly available information, avoids speculative judgments, and focuses on presenting the public positions and interaction logic of the involved parties, providing crucial background for analyzing the diplomatic and military developments in the next phase of the conflict.