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Russia Demands Donbas Pullout as Abu Dhabi Talks Resume, Ukraine Prepares Security Guarantees

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  • Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on during a joint press conference with Lithuania’s President and Poland’s President, after attending commemorations of the 1863 uprising, in Vilnius on January 25, 2026.
    Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on during a joint press conference with Lithuania’s President and Poland’s President, after attending commemorations of the 1863 uprising, in Vilnius on January 25, 2026.
    Image: Newsweek
    Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on during a joint press conference with Lithuania’s President and Poland’s President, after attending commemorations of the 1863 uprising, in Vilnius on January 25, 2026. Source Full size
  • Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on during a joint press conference with Lithuania’s President and Poland’s President, after attending commemorations of the 1863 uprising, in Vilnius on January 25, 2026.
    Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on during a joint press conference with Lithuania’s President and Poland’s President, after attending commemorations of the 1863 uprising, in Vilnius on January 25, 2026.
    Image: Newsweek
    Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on during a joint press conference with Lithuania’s President and Poland’s President, after attending commemorations of the 1863 uprising, in Vilnius on January 25, 2026. Source Full size

Kremlin Negotiator Frames Donbas Withdrawal as Peace Condition Kirill Dmitriev, a senior Kremlin Ukraine negotiator and head of Russia’s sovereign‑wealth fund, posted on X that Ukraine’s pull‑out from the Donbas region is the “path to peace” and a prerequisite for ending the war [1]. His comment directly responds to a Financial Times report linking U.S. security guarantees to a Donbas concession. Dmitriev’s statement underscores Russia’s insistence that territorial compromise precedes any diplomatic settlement.

U.S. Security Guarantees Tied to Donbas Concession in FT Report The Financial Times article cited eight unnamed sources who say the United States will condition any security guarantees for Kyiv on Ukraine agreeing to give Russia control of the Donbas industrial heartland, including Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts [1]. This linkage makes the Donbas issue the central obstacle in ongoing peace negotiations. The report suggests that without a territorial settlement, U.S. support may remain limited.

Ukraine Retains Key Fortified Cities While Refusing Territorial Trade Ukrainian forces continue to hold roughly 20 % of Donetsk oblast, notably the heavily fortified cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk [1]. Analysts warn that Russia could need years to capture these positions, highlighting the military stalemate. Kyiv refuses to cede the remaining territory, citing moral objections and a constitutional rule that any territorial change requires a referendum, which cannot be held under martial law.

Zelensky Announces Completed Security‑Guarantee Document Amid Ongoing Talks President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that a document outlining security guarantees for Ukraine is “100 percent” ready and emphasized that Russia must make compromises for peace [1]. The trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi, involving the United States, Ukraine and Russia, were described as constructive and are slated to resume in the coming days. The talks reflect a tentative willingness from all sides to continue dialogue despite the Donbas deadlock.

Sources

Timeline

1994 – The Budapest Memorandum, signed in 1994, guarantees Ukraine’s security in exchange for its nuclear disarmament, a precedent Zelensky cites when demanding explicit guarantees in any peace deal [2].

2014 – Russian forces begin fighting in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, marking the start of the pro‑Russian insurgency that later expands into a full‑scale war [2].

Feb 2022 – Russia launches a full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, intensifying the conflict in Donbas and leading to massive military and civilian displacement [1].

Dec 2, 2025 – Russian forces control about 85 % of Donbas, having captured the strategic town of Pokrovsk, while rail service into Donetsk stops and roughly 200 civilians arrive daily at a reception centre in Lozova; desertions approach 300,000 Ukrainian soldiers, and a leaked U.S. draft peace plan proposes ceding remaining Ukrainian‑held Donbas territory to Russia, prompting some civilians and soldiers to consider land swaps for peace [1].

Dec 11, 2025 – The United States proposes establishing a free economic zone in parts of eastern Donbas that Ukraine would withdraw from, and President Zelensky says Kyiv has submitted an updated set of peace documents that still need finalization, with the Trump administration seeking a full understanding by Christmas; Ukrainian, U.S., and European officials plan to meet in Paris that weekend to discuss the proposal [2].

Dec 12, 2025 – Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov declares that Russian police and National Guard will remain in Donbas after any peace settlement, insists the region is Russian territory, and conditions a ceasefire on the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces, while Ukrainian National Guard recaptures settlements around Kupiansk and President Zelensky stresses that battlefield gains are essential for diplomatic leverage [4].

Jan 27, 2026 – Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev posts that Ukraine’s withdrawal from Donbas is the “path to peace,” echoing a Financial Times report linking U.S. security guarantees to a Donbas concession; Ukraine still holds roughly 20 % of Donetsk, including fortified Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, and President Zelensky announces that a security‑guarantee document is “100 percent” complete, while trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi are described as constructive and slated to resume in the coming days [3].

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