The upcoming Washington session follows a six-day pause in hostilities around the occupied city of Oleshky, an arrangement the first lady helped broker to facilitate civilian evacuations and aid delivery. Kyiv is set to send parliamentary faction leader David Arakhamia and human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. The Russian delegation will include Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev and human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova.

While the Oleshky initiative allowed nearly 800 people to reach Ukrainian-controlled territory, observers remain skeptical of a wider breakthrough. Analysts argue that Moscow often uses such pauses to reposition forces, noting that the fundamental gap between Russian territorial demands and Ukrainian sovereignty remains vast. The Abu Dhabi talks, featuring Vladimir Medinsky for Russia, aim to address security arrangements and de-escalation, though experts warn that Vladimir Putin has yet to signal a willingness to halt the broader conflict.