Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said officials from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States will take part in their first trilateral meetings later this week, marking a new diplomatic step in efforts to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The talks, scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Abu Dhabi, come as the United States intensifies its push for a negotiated settlement to the conflict, now approaching its fourth year. Zelenskyy made the announcement after meeting US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Thursday.
According to Zelenskyy, discussions with the US have advanced on two major fronts: security guarantees for Ukraine and a framework for post-war economic recovery. He said the terms of security assurances had been finalised, while an agreement on reconstruction funding was close to completion. These elements form part of Kyiv-backed proposals that seek to rebalance earlier US ideas perceived in Ukraine as favouring Moscow.
Abu Dhabi Talks Seen as a Positive Step
Zelenskyy described the upcoming discussions in the United Arab Emirates as the “first trilateral meeting” involving representatives from all three countries. “I think this is good,” he said, expressing cautious optimism about the diplomatic format.
There was no immediate response from Moscow regarding the proposed talks.
Trump, for his part, characterised his meeting with Zelenskyy as “good” but emphasised that ending the war launched by Russia remains an ongoing and complex process.
Earlier in the day, US envoy Steve Witkoff told a WEF audience that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine had made significant progress and were now focused on a single unresolved issue.
“I think we’ve got it down to one issue,” Witkoff said, adding that multiple versions of that issue had already been discussed. “That means it’s solvable. If both sides want to solve this, we’re going to get it solved.”
US Diplomacy Moves Between Moscow and the Gulf
Following his remarks in Davos, Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, travelled to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The US delegation is then expected to continue on to Abu Dhabi, where discussions will proceed within what Witkoff described as “military-to-military” working groups.
Zelenskyy confirmed that the UAE meetings would include the first trilateral sessions between Ukrainian, Russian, and US officials, spanning two days.
Trump and Zelenskyy Meet in Davos
Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump said his message to Putin was clear: the war in Ukraine must end. Zelenskyy described the encounter as “productive and substantive,” noting that key documents related to peace efforts and reconstruction were now better prepared.
The Ukrainian leader had previously indicated he would only attend the Davos summit if there was a realistic opportunity to move toward an agreement with Trump on resolving the war, including firm security guarantees and funding for Ukraine’s recovery.
Addressing the WEF more broadly, Zelenskyy renewed calls for Putin to face international prosecution and criticised European allies for not using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s defence.
“This is the fourth year of the biggest war in Europe since World War II,” Zelenskyy said, arguing that the man who started it remains free while contesting access to frozen funds held in Europe.
Key Sticking Points Remain
While Witkoff did not specify the final unresolved issue, Zelenskyy has previously pointed to two major obstacles: the future status of territories occupied by Russia and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, currently under Russian occupation.
Trump has repeatedly suggested that both Putin and Zelenskyy are close to a deal, though no agreement has yet been reached despite months of separate US talks with Ukraine, Russia, and European leaders.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte welcomed Trump’s diplomatic efforts but stressed that Ukraine still requires military support as Russian missile and drone attacks continue.
The talks come amid intensified Russian strikes that have left large parts of Kyiv without electricity and heat during freezing temperatures. In southern Ukraine, Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said a Russian drone attack on a residential building killed a 17-year-old, underscoring the ongoing human cost of the conflict.