US, Ukraine and Russia delegations head to Abu Dhabi for their first trilateral talks of the war, marking a rare diplomatic moment since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The meeting in the United Arab Emirates represents the first confirmed occasion where officials from all three countries have entered a shared negotiating framework since hostilities began nearly four years ago.
Confirmation of the talks emerged early Friday following closed-door discussions at the Kremlin involving Russian president Vladimir Putin, US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Kremlin diplomatic adviser Yuri Ushakov described those discussions as “useful in every respect”, stating that agreement was reached to convene a trilateral security working group in Abu Dhabi.
While the talks are framed as technical and exploratory, their symbolic importance is substantial given the prolonged stalemate and continuing violence along Ukraine’s eastern front.
Details of the Abu Dhabi peace talks remained limited at the time of writing, with uncertainty over whether Ukrainian and Russian officials would meet directly.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the discussions would last two days, suggesting a structured agenda rather than a single ceremonial encounter.
The US delegation is led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, reflecting the Trump administration’s preference for trusted envoys with personal access to the president.
Russia’s team is headed by General Igor Kostyukov, director of the GRU military intelligence agency, underscoring Moscow’s focus on security and territorial considerations.
The Trump administration has intensified diplomatic efforts in recent months, seeking a negotiated end to the Ukraine Russia war negotiations amid growing political and economic pressures.
Washington’s approach has raised concern in Kyiv and European capitals, where officials fear Ukraine could be pushed into an unfavourable compromise.
Trump has publicly framed the conflict as solvable through deal-making, arguing that continued fighting benefits no party and drains global stability.
Speaking earlier this week, Trump said both Putin and Zelenskyy would be “stupid” to miss the opportunity to reach an agreement through dialogue.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Witkoff acknowledged that one major issue remained unresolved, declining to specify whether it concerned territory or security guarantees.
Zelenskyy has consistently identified land occupied by Russia as the core obstacle to peace, particularly areas in eastern Ukraine seized during prolonged fighting.
Moscow continues to demand that Ukraine surrender control of remaining territory in Donetsk, a condition Zelenskyy has categorically rejected.
Ukraine’s president has argued that yielding defended land would legitimise aggression and undermine international norms protecting sovereign borders.
Russia has also insisted that Ukraine abandon its ambition to join Nato and has rejected any postwar Nato military presence on Ukrainian soil.
These demands have long been viewed in Kyiv as incompatible with Ukraine’s security needs following repeated Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Zelenskyy told reporters that peace proposals were “nearly ready” but stressed that meaningful compromises must come from both sides.
“Russians have to be ready for compromises because everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said during remarks in Davos.
He added that postwar security guarantees between Kyiv and Washington had been prepared, pending ratification should a deal be reached.
Zelenskyy’s comments followed a closed-door meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the forum, where both leaders discussed prospects for ending the war.
Despite strained relations over US military aid, Trump described the meeting as positive, saying Zelenskyy wanted to reach a settlement.
“I’ve had numerous good meetings with President Zelenskyy and it doesn’t seem to happen,” Trump said, reflecting lingering frustration.
Trump suggested that both Putin and Zelenskyy were making concessions, although he acknowledged that boundaries remained the principal sticking point.
He noted that the same issues had stalled negotiations for months, indicating that Abu Dhabi may test whether entrenched positions have shifted.
Beyond territorial disputes, humanitarian concerns remain acute as Ukraine faces another winter under sustained Russian missile and drone attacks.
Trump said discussions with Zelenskyy included how Ukrainians were coping with winter conditions amid widespread power and heating disruptions.
“It’s really tough for the people of Ukraine,” Trump said, calling their resilience “amazing” despite relentless strikes on civilian infrastructure.
Kyiv and other major cities have endured prolonged outages as Russia continues targeting energy facilities across the country.
Zelenskyy has increasingly urged European leaders to take a more assertive role, criticising what he views as continental hesitation.
In a previous Davos speech, he accused European governments of waiting for direction from Washington instead of leading on Ukraine.
“A year has passed, and nothing has changed,” Zelenskyy said, warning that complacency threatened Europe’s long-term security.
While the Abu Dhabi peace talks carry no guarantee of success, their very occurrence signals renewed diplomatic momentum.
For the first time since the invasion, US, Ukraine and Russia delegations head to Abu Dhabi for their first trilateral talks of the war with cautious expectations.
Observers note that even limited confidence-building measures could reduce escalation risks and open pathways toward sustained negotiations.
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Yet the fundamental disagreements over territory, alliances and postwar security remain unresolved and deeply entrenched.
Whether Abu Dhabi marks a turning point or merely a pause in hostilities will depend on compromises that have eluded negotiators for years.
