Russia, Ukraine, and the US Set to Hold Three-Way Talks in Abu Dhabi

Negotiators from Russia, Ukraine and the United States are set to meet in the United Arab Emirates on Friday, marking what officials say will be the first talks involving all three countries since Russia began its full-scale invasion nearly four years ago.

The Kremlin confirmed Russia’s participation following talks in Moscow between President Vladimir Putin and US representatives. Russian officials described those discussions as productive but stressed that any lasting peace agreement would depend on resolving territorial disputes.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised European partners for what he described as insufficient political resolve in confronting Russia. Present at the Moscow meeting with Putin were three US representatives, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump.

Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said the Moscow discussions were open, detailed and constructive, but reiterated that a durable settlement would not be possible without agreement on territorial matters. He said Russia would continue pursuing the objectives of what it calls its “special military operation” until those issues were settled, while insisting Moscow remained genuinely interested in a diplomatic outcome.

Ushakov also referenced an earlier framework agreed during a summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska last year, saying it remained central to Russia’s position on territorial resolution.

Witkoff previously said Russia had indicated openness to allowing the US and European countries to provide Ukraine with strong security guarantees as part of a broader peace deal.

After meeting Trump in Davos, Zelensky made clear that the future status of eastern Ukrainian territory remained unresolved ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks. He said land issues were the core obstacle and stressed that Russia, not only Ukraine, would need to make compromises.

Among the key disputes is Moscow’s demand that Kyiv relinquish the remaining quarter of the Donetsk region still under Ukrainian control.

Zelensky confirmed that senior Ukrainian officials would take part in the Abu Dhabi negotiations, underscoring the importance of the talks. Members of the delegation include national security and defence council chief Rustem Umerov, intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov, senior adviser David Arakhamia, and armed forces chief of staff Andrii Hnatov.

Russia’s delegation will be led by General Igor Kostyukov, head of the GRU military intelligence agency. Separately, Russia’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev is expected to meet Witkoff to discuss economic matters.

Zelensky said last month that a US-backed, 20-point peace plan was close to completion, adding that Ukraine’s position on the Donbas region differed sharply from Russia’s. He has proposed a mutual troop withdrawal of up to 40 kilometres to create an economic zone in the region, provided Russia agrees to the same terms.

The US proposal reportedly envisions a demilitarised free economic zone in Ukraine’s industrial heartland in exchange for security guarantees for Kyiv.

Zelensky also said he had reached an understanding with Trump on future US security commitments should a deal be finalised, though he noted that any agreement would require approval from both the US Congress and Ukraine’s parliament.

The Ukrainian president had initially planned to skip the Davos forum to address the aftermath of Russian strikes on Kyiv’s power infrastructure, which left large parts of the capital without electricity, heating and water during one of the harshest winters of the war.

Another unresolved issue remains control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which Russian forces seized in March 2022 and which continues to be a major point of contention in negotiations.