(ABU DHABI) – Peace negotiations in the United Arab Emirates between officials from the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and the United States have commenced with low expectations for a diplomatic breakthrough. According to reports in the Russian press, Moscow maintains an uncompromising stance, with government-backed publications confirming that missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have resumed and will continue until a peace agreement is signed on the Russian dictator’s terms.
Writing in Moskovsky Komsomolets, a military analyst argued that a “real ceasefire” can only be discussed once the Ukrainian government’s energy and industrial base is fully paralysed. This rhetoric contradicts the optimism expressed by US President Donald Trump, who recently stated at the White House that discussions were going “very well” and hinted at imminent “good news.” However, on 3 February, just days after these comments, Russia launched its most powerful missile and drone attack on Kyiv in a month.
Diplomatic sources suggest the Abu Dhabi talks are currently limited to technical and military questions, with pivotal issues regarding territory and Ukraine’s status in the European security system requiring higher-level engagement. While NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently suggested in Kyiv that European allies might deploy troops, jets, and ships to Ukraine following a deal, Kremlin officials have dismissed the proposal. Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy aide to the Russian dictator, stated that any security guarantees agreed without Moscow’s approval are “meaningless.”
Komsomolskaya Pravda published a scathing critique of a reported Financial Times plan involving a coordinated EU-US military response within 72 hours of any future Russian aggression. The paper mocked the proposal as a “baby’s dummy,” questioning why Western powers would intervene later if they have not done so directly during the last four years of conflict. The article concluded with a threat that direct confrontation between NATO and Russia would likely result in a nuclear exchange and “nuclear winter.”
Domestically, the Russian economy faces mounting pressure. The business daily Kommersant reported that India, the largest buyer of Russian crude, reduced its oil imports by three and a half times in January. Nezavisimaya Gazeta warned of a “systemic banking crisis” appearing in a “latent form,” with problem loans for households and businesses exceeding 10%. Meanwhile, Moskovsky Komsomolets highlighted the issue of the “hungry purse,” noting that while nominal pensions have risen, inflation is rapidly eroding purchasing power. The paper also revealed that 14.4% of the workforce, approximately 8 million people, have been transferred to part-time work or shorter hours, indicating a significant underutilisation of labour amidst the economic strain.
