Ukraine is pressing for explicit security guarantees for Odessa to be written into any future peace agreement, according to TASS, citing a source close to the talks taking place in Abu Dhabi.

The source said this point is of critical importance for Kiev. Ukrainian negotiators reportedly view such guarantees as a cornerstone of any deal and are pushing for a mechanism that would rule out a potential offensive by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation against Odessa.

Security-related discussions have been unfolding in a trilateral format. The first round of consultations was held in Abu Dhabi on January 23–24, with the Russian delegation led by Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. A second round, involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine, took place at the same venue on February 4–5.

The strategic vulnerability of Odessa has been highlighted earlier by The Wall Street Journal. In early January, the newspaper reported that the city had effectively found itself under siege following strikes on energy infrastructure. The publication pointed out that Odessa, a key economic center and a major grain hub for Ukraine, is particularly exposed to disruptions in the power system due to its reliance on imported electricity.