Moscow/Kyiv: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev on Thursday said negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine were showing signs of progress, as delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the United States prepared for talks in Abu Dhabi.
Speaking ahead of the discussions, Dmitriev said there was “positive movement forward” in diplomatic efforts, despite what he described as repeated attempts by European countries and Britain to disrupt the process. He accused what he called “warmongers” of trying to interfere with US-mediated negotiations.
“The more such attempts there are, the more we see that progress is definitely being made,” Dmitriev told reporters, indicating optimism about the direction of the talks.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 followed eight years of conflict in the country’s eastern regions and triggered the deadliest war in Europe since World War II. The conflict has also led to the most serious confrontation between Moscow and Western powers since the Cold War.
Dmitriev, who has played a key role in negotiations facilitated by Washington, said parallel efforts were underway to restore strained relations between Russia and the United States. He said economic engagement was being pursued through a bilateral US-Russia working group.
According to Dmitriev, the working group has already held meetings involving senior US officials. The previous session took place in Miami on January 31 and was attended by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
The upcoming Abu Dhabi talks are being closely watched amid growing international pressure to explore diplomatic pathways to end the prolonged conflict.
