UAE meeting to discuss Kiev's refusal of territories for money, guarantees — newspaper
According to the newspaper, four documents will be presented at the first trilateral meeting of the negotiating teams of Russia, the US, and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, which are expected to form the basis of a peace treaty
ROME, January 23. /TASS/. The documents to be discussed at the talks in Abu Dhabi involve Kiev’s surrender of territories in exchange for an $800 billion financial support program and security guarantees, Italy’s Corriere della Sera reported, citing sources.
According to the newspaper, four documents will be presented at the first trilateral meeting of the negotiating teams of Russia, the US, and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, which are expected to form the basis of a peace treaty. One of the documents, in particular, concerns the complete withdrawal of the Ukrainian armed forces from Donbass.
The article noted that the Americans will offer a document on an $800 billion financing program for Ukraine as compensation. The program will be implemented under the leadership of Larry Fink, CEO of the US investment company BlackRock. Another document concerns security guarantees with the participation of the US and the support of the Europeans. "In essence, Zelensky must give up territory in exchange for money and Western protection," the newspaper pointed out.
Corriere della Sera also cited Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who said that the $800 billion plan to rebuild Ukraine exists only on paper and has no real funding.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with US special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and businessman Jared Kushner at the Kremlin. Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov later said that the conversation was extremely substantive, constructive, frank, and confidential. The talks, which focused on the Ukrainian settlement, lasted about four hours. Moscow and Washington agreed that the first meeting of the trilateral working group on security issues involving Russia, the US, and Ukraine will take place on January 23 in Abu Dhabi. The Russian negotiating team will be led by Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, and Russian representatives will fly to the UAE "in the coming hours." According to Ushakov, the group includes "representatives of the leadership of the Defense Ministry.".