Russian negotiator rejects territorial swaps with Ukraine as Abu Dhabi talks end

After two days of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, Russia's chief negotiator said there was no possibility of exchanging territory with Ukraine as part of any peace deal, Russia's Tass news agency reported on Wednesday. Vladimir Medinsky and Ukrainian negotiators had earlier reported some progress in the talks, which ended on Wednesday. But US mediators said there was a lack of trust between the warring sides and differences remained on a number of issues, including territory. Medinsky was also cited as saying that if what he called a fair security system for Europe could be created, it would help ensure peace on the continent for decades, and possibly centuries, to come. He added that Russia's buffer zone along its border with Ukraine was already substantial and would keep expanding, according to the Interfax news agency, as cited by Reuters.