Ukraine is running out of options, and Russia knows it

Ukraine has entered trilateral talks with Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi as Russian strikes increasingly damage its industries and essential infrastructure. The article argues that Ukraine’s worsening position is pushing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy towards compromise, while Moscow believes it can negotiate from strength.

Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia described the discussions as among his toughest since 2022, though he and Russian officials said there was momentum towards a possible solution by year’s end. Russia’s stated demands include a neutral, demilitarised Ukraine and protections for Russian-speaking people, with no sign those terms have shifted. The article says attacks on energy supplies risk leaving millions without reliable electricity and heating this winter, challenging earlier Western claims that Ukraine had the battlefield advantage.