Past Talks Between Russia and Ukraine Have Made Little Progress Toward Peace

Negotiators from Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. are set to meet in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on November 10 and 11, 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to end the war.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, several key developments have occurred:

– In late February 2022, Ukrainian and Russian delegations met in Belarus for two weeks, agreeing only on humanitarian corridors for civilians.
– In March 2022, the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine met in Antalya, Turkey.
– Later that month, Ukraine’s president called for direct talks with Russia’s leader, but this idea was rejected by Russia’s foreign minister.
– In April 2022, Russia’s foreign minister dismissed a Ukrainian proposal as “unacceptable.”
– The U.N. secretary-general visited Russia in April 2022 to discuss ending the war.

In July 2022, Russia and Ukraine, with help from Turkey and the U.N., agreed to unblock grain supplies from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. However, Russia withdrew from the deal a year later.

In September 2022, Russia illegally annexed parts of Ukraine, prompting Ukraine to apply for NATO membership and declare negotiations with Russia’s leader “impossible.”

Efforts continued in 2023 and 2024, including meetings involving African leaders, European Union officials, and U.S. representatives. However, no major breakthroughs were achieved.

In early 2025, the U.S. president-elect restarted direct talks with Russia’s leader after a three-year pause. This led to more discussions in Saudi Arabia and other locations, but progress remained limited.

By late 2025 and early 2026, negotiations continued with various international mediators, including the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine. However, no final peace agreement was reached by November 2026.